√2024 Citroen e-C3 electric car unveiled in Europe to take-on cut-price rivals from China

The Citroen C3 city hatch has become an SUV – and added electric power, with a $33,000 to $39,000 price designed to challenge budget-priced Chinese competitors.

French car maker Citroen has become one of the first European automotive giants to challenge the wave of budget-priced Chinese electric cars which cost the equivalent of less than $40,000.

And it coincides with the debut of Citroen’s new, more compact logo – the first time the redesign has appeared on one of its production cars.

The Citroen e-C3 – the first new C3 in seven years – has morphed into an SUV for its latest generation, and for the first time offers a choice of petrol or electric power.

In certain European countries the electric Citroen e-C3 with 320km of claimed driving range will be priced from €23,300 ($AU38,700) – set to make it one of the cheapest new electric passenger vehicles on sale globally.

This price point – though still more expensive than the cheapest new petrol hatchbacks on the market – is expected to make the Citroen e-C3 competitive with models from China’s MG and GWM which have dominated the budget-priced electric-car market to date. In Germany a base-model MG 4 electric hatch costs about €32,000 ($AU53,000), compared to $38,990 plus on-road costs for a similar car in Australia.

Plans for an Australian launch of the Citroen e-C3 – after the European showroom arrival due in the first half of next year – are yet to be confirmed.

The current Citroen C3 is sold in Australia in a single petrol-powered model variant priced close to $35,000 drive-away.

The new C3 has been developed to accomodate a petrol version at a later date – given electric cars are not widespread in all European countries – while Citroen has confirmed an even cheaper e-C3 with 200km of claimed driving range for 2025, planned to carry a €19,990 ($AU33,000) price.

The new SUV-styled Citroen C3 measures 4.01m long, 1.76m wide and 1.57m wide. It is said to be 19mm longer and 6mm wider than the outgoing hatch, but a substantial 100mm taller for improved passenger space, and a higher seating position.

Citroen claims increases of 30mm in front-seat headroom, 21mm in front passenger elbowroom, 19mm in rear passenger elbowroom, and 28mm in ground clearance (now 163mm, up from 135mm).

The design draws inspiration from the Citroen Oli concept unveiled last year, with blocky, proportions, distinctive C-shaped LED headlights and tail-lights, Citroen’s new logo, and either 16-inch steel, 17-inch steel or 17-inch alloy wheels.

It is reminiscent of the new Citroen C3 sold in developing markets with lower safety standards – which has also adopted an SUV-style appearance – with the vehicles said to be underpinned by the same new-generation ‘Smart Car’ architecture (not to be confused with the Mercedes-owned city-car brand).

For the first time the C3 is fitted with Citroen’s Progressive Hydraulic Cushions in the suspension, which add hydraulic bump stops – the devices at the ends of the suspension travel, which are felt when hitting big bumps in the road – for a more comfortable ride.

Powering the new e-C3 is an 83kW motor on the front axle, fed by a 44kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack good for 0-100km/h in a claimed 11 seconds, a 135km/h top speed, and 320km of claimed driving range in European WLTP testing.

It is said to be capable of charging at up to 100kW DC, for a 20 to 80 per cent recharge in 26 minutes. On a 11kW AC home charger, the same charge can be completed in a claimed two hours and 50 minutes (or four hours and 10 minutes at 7kW).

Details of any future petrol versions are yet to be announced.

Inside, the latest Citroen C3 and e-C3 adopt a more minimalist layout with a slim instrument display ahead of the driver – which drivers are meant to look over the steering wheel to see, rather than through the wheel. The steering wheel is smaller than before to accommodate the new layout.

Top-of-the-range models have a freestanding 10.25-inch infotainment touchscreen angled towards the driver, with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Meanwhile cheaper models get a stand for the driver’s smartphone, intended for use with a My Citroen Play app to show music, radio and navigation in place of an infotainment screen.

The driver’s phone is said to connect to the car using NFC, the same technology used in Apple Pay and Google Pay functions on the latest smartphones.

Standard features on the base e-C3 ‘You’ in Europe include LED headlights, autonomous emergency braking, cloth seats, manual air conditioning, the smartphone stand, wind-up rear windows, a plastic steering wheel, and no rear-view camera.

The top-of-the-range Max model adds 17-inch alloys, two-tone paint, a 10.25-inch touchscreen, decorative roof rails, front and rear skid plates, power-folding heated door mirrors, a 60:40 split-folding rear seat (for the 310L boot), leather-look steering wheel trim, faux leather-accented seats, a reversing camera, and rear power windows.

Available advanced safety technology includes autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, driver attention alert, speed sign recognition and auto high beam.

However – likely to reduce cost – there is no adaptive cruise control, and there is no mention of the latest lane centring assist and driver monitoring systems needed for a five-star safety rating under the latest test criteria.

The 2024 Citroen e-C3 is due in European showrooms in the second quarter of 2024 (April to June), with production slated for its factory in Slovakia.

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