Citroen eC3 vs Tata Tiago EV: price, specifications compared

Citroen has just launched the eC3 in India – an all-electric derivative of the regular ICE-powered C3 hatchback that was introduced in mid-2022. With EVs gradually gaining momentum, the hatchback segment, and more importantly, the budget end of the market are now finally beginning to see more options for customers. The eC3 has a sole competitor in the market currently – the Tata Tiago EV – and here we are comparing the two to see how they fare against each other on paper.

Citroen eC3 vs Tata Tiago EV: dimensions

Citroen’s eC3 is larger than the Tata Tiago EV in every measurable way. The French EV is 212mm longer, has a 140mm longer wheelbase, is 56mm wider and 68mm taller than the Tiago EV. The Citroen's boot is also 75 litres larger than Tata’s EV hatchback. While the eC3 gets 15-inch alloy wheels, the Tiago EV gets smaller 14-inch steel wheels. However, the Tiago EV is 161kg lighter than the eC3.

Citroen eC3 vs Tata Tiago EV: powertrain, range, performance

While the eC3 only gets one powertrain option, the Tiago EV comes with two powertrain options that are classified as medium range and long range. Both use permanent magnet synchronous motors, but the former makes less power – 57hp – than the Tiago EV medium range's 61hp. The Tiago EV long range produces 75hp, making it the most powerful of the lot here.

Interestingly, the eC3 has the highest torque figure here, at 143Nm, which is 29Nm more than the Tiago EV long range's 114Nm. Despite making more torque, the eC3 has a 0.6 second slower claimed 0-60kph time than even the Tiago EV medium range – the Tiago EV does it in 6.2sec.

The eC3 has a fairly larger battery compared to the Tiago EV. Citroen has placed a 29.2kWh battery in the eC3 that has a claimed range of 320km as per the MIDC cycle. On the other hand, the 19.2kWh battery in the Tiago EV medium range manages 250km on a single charge, while the larger 24kWh battery in the long range version can do 315km on the MIDC cycle.

Citroen eC3 vs Tata Tiago EV: charging time

All three, despite varying battery sizes, can be charged from 10-80 percent in 57 minutes using a DC fast charger. However, the bigger battery in the Citroen eC3 takes the longest to charge when plugged in to a 15A wall socket, taking 10 hours and 30 minutes to charge from 10-100 percent.

The fastest to charge using a 15A wall socket is the Tiago EV medium range that takes only 6 hours and 54 minutes. The Tiago EV long range falls in between as it only takes 8 hours and 40 minutes to charge from 10 to 100 percent on the wall charger.

Furthermore, Tata offers the Tiago EV with a 3.3kW wall box charger as standard but the eC3 doesn't one come with one, for now. 

Citroen eC3 vs Tata Tiago EV: price

Citroen has priced the eC3 from Rs 11.50 lakh-12.43 lakh for the top-spec Feel trim with dual-tone paint and Vibe pack as optional extras. Prices for the Tata Tiago EV, meanwhile, range between Rs 8.69 lakh-9.29 lakh for the medium range and Rs 10.19 lakh-11.99 lakh for the long range. The eC3’s prices, therefore, are most comparable only with the long-range variants of the Tiago EV. The latter is still better equipped and more powerful, while the medium range variants also allow for a more accessible entry-point.  

Also see:

Tata Tiago EV review: Everyday electric

Tata Tiago EV video review