The new Citroen e-C3 /actually: Citroën ë-C3/ will make its debut as early as Tuesday, 17 October – and it is expected to do so at exactly noon. The manufacturer has revealed a trailer which shows that the car could be very different from its Indian relative. The Citroen e-C3 is supposed to be an answer to the VW ID.2 and Renault 5, but an answer that will come much earlier than the competition, as early as 2024. Could it be that the first real low-cost electric car with sensible equipment is about to debut before our eyes?
/this article may be rewritten and refreshed after the launch/.
Citroen e-C3 – what we know, what we expect
Let’s start with what the Carscoops website has picked up, namely the completely different design of the daytime running lights. They are not arranged in chevrons as in the Indian market variant (photo 2), but are rectangular (photo 1). As a result, they strongly resemble the lights from the Citroen Oli concept /actually: Citroën oli [all-ë]/ (photo no. 3):
The new Citroen e-C3 for Europe, teaser (c) Citroen / Stellantis
The new Citroen e-C3 for India (c) Citroen India / Stellantis
Citroen Oli concept (c) Citroen / Stellantis
The Citroen Oli was a very French-style concept with a “reverse” body shape, rear at the front and front at the rear. In a world of rounded, aerodynamic silhouettes, it generated a lot of interest. The production version of the Citroen e-C3 for Europe is not as bold as the Oli, the bonnet seems more normal, the silhouette tapering upwards instead of widening at head height. But the lights remain, and those at the rear also look quite similar, as you will notice if you watch the film trailer (below the illustrations) closely:
Forget everything you know about electric cars. New Citroën ë-C3: get ready on October 17th.#NewCitroënËC3 #AllElectric pic.twitter.com/1CTKy7eJGu
— Citroën (@Citroen) October 13, 2023
We also have a leak on the appearance of the car:
However, the biggest surprise may be the price of the Citroen e-C3. The manufacturer is talking about a sum starting at €25,000. Electric cars are virtually non-existent in this segment, with only the Dacia Spring remaining. More importantly: the model is due to go on sale “in early 2024”, so at least a year before the Renault 5, at least two years before the VW ID.2.
A note from the editors: should the car actually go on sale on this date and at this price, a small sales hit is being prepared. But we advise you not to hold your breath, the Citroen Ami also had the chance to be a revolution, it’s just that the manufacturer doesn’t particularly want to sell it. The new Citroen e-C3 could therefore become the model to cut CO2 emissions should Ferrari or Maserati fall short – that is, it will be produced in such numbers that it will be “just right”. And not one more.
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