Citroen India recently dropped a teaser suggesting the debut of a new electric vehicle and we suspect it could be the electric version of the C3 hatchback. Citroen will be taking the wraps off this new vehicle on September 29, and it is expected to go on sale in our market by early 2023.
- C3 EV will be based on same platform as ICE-powered hatchback
- No major exterior and interior changes expected
- Will be locally manufactured in India
Citroen C3 EV: what to expect?
Carlos Tavares, CEO of the Stellantis group, has previously gone on record saying that a compact, sub-4m electric car is India-bound next year, and it will be based on the same platform as the C3 hatchback. It will be part of Citroen’s C-cubed programme for India, and will be engineered and produced here.
The C3 EV, then, could be based on the modular eCMP platform that's adapted from the ICE platform to accomodate an electric motor and a battery pack. This platform was conceived with electrification in mind, and already underpins EVs such as the Peugeot e-208 and the recently unveiled Jeep Avenger in overseas markets.
The C3 EV has already been spied testing on our roads on a couple of occasions, and it was largely uncamouflaged, with only the front right fender being wrapped, seemingly to hide a charging socket. Elsewhere, the electrified C3 has so far seemed largely similar to the ICE-powered car. On the inside, too, the C3 EV is expected to carry over the same dashboard design and equipment list as its petrol counterpart, although this could be a good opportunity for Citroen to add some additional features to an otherwise skimpily equipped model.
Not much is known about the technical specifications of the C3 EV currently, but if global models based on the same platform are anything to go by, the C3 EV can be expected to come with a 50kWh battery that will deliver a range of around 350km. The batteries will be powering an electric motor on the front axle developing about 135hp.
Tavares had also said that they are aiming for affordability with the company’s first EV in India. Being produced in Chennai, the C3 EV will have over 90 percent localisation, however, the batteries will be imported initially.
Upon launch of the C3 EV, Citroen will be one of the few manufacturers, along with Tata and Mahindra, operating at the affordable end of the EV spectrum. This will give them an opportunity to leapfrog other mainstream manufacturers like Maruti and Hyundai as their affordable EVs are still a few years away. The C3 EV is expected to be positioned below the likes of Tata Nexon EV Prime in our market.
What else is on Citroen’s cards for India?
Following the C3 EV, Citroen will be working on more electrified models based on the eCMP platform that will cover body styles such as MPVs and CUVs. The company was also spied testing a three-row version of the C3 hatchback recently, which you can read here.
Citroen also launched the C5 Aircross facelift in India recently, and you can read our review or watch the video here.
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