Citroën: Affordable e-car in sight 🎥
IT WAS ABOUT TIME The Citroën ë-C3 not only wants to impress with its efficient electric drive and comfortable suspension, but also set new standards in terms of price - starting at less than 24,000 francs.
The C3 is the Citroën brand's bestseller. It accounts for 29 percent of European sales volume. With the fourth generation of this model, Citroën is now breaking new ground in some respects. The all-electric ë-C3 offers first-class comfort, a relaxed driving experience, a complete equipment level and a convincing price-performance ratio.
French comfortable
The ë-C3 provides a very comfortable ride by combining the brand's own Advanced Comfort suspension with the new comfort seats in a compact car for the first time. This system uses two hydraulic shock absorbers - one for compression, the other for rebound.
Laurence Hansen, Director Product and Strategy at Citroën: "Comfort is an important part of Citroën's DNA. It's important to us because it's important to our customers. That's why we've put great effort into making the new ë-C3 the most comfortable vehicle in the B-segment."
Lounge like interior
The spacious interior has been designed to offer occupants an ambience similar to that of their living room. The completely redesigned Advanced Comfort seats use extra foam to offer a comfortable feel from first contact. With the introduction of the C-Zen Lounge, the driver and front passenger can enjoy a clear view ahead thanks to the large windshield and horizontal fascia.
A real innovation is the absence of a traditional instrument cluster. The new all-electric ë-C3 is the first to feature a new head-up display that projects vehicle information onto a glossy black area between the upper edge of the dashboard and the lower edge of the windshield.
In addition, the new ë-C3 is roomier inside than its predecessor, although it is only 19 millimeters longer and 6 millimeters wider. The higher interior offers many useful storage spaces in the door panels, center console and under the center armrest. The trunk volume of 310 liters should be sufficient for most shopping trips.
Suitable for everyday life
The 83 kW electric motor (113 hp) delivers power and torque for the daily commute, while the 44 kWh battery provides a WLTP range of up to 320 kilometers. The car accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in around eleven seconds, and with a top speed of 135 km/h, it also offers enough to handle daily trips. DC fast charging from 20 to 80 percent at 100 kW takes 26 minutes, while standard AC charging from 20 percent to 80 percent takes around two hours and 50 minutes when 11 kW is available.
Also on board is a comprehensive collection of driver assistance systems: for example, the emergency braking system, which works from 5 to 135 km/h; the lane departure warning system, which gently corrects the steering; the attention assistant, which informs the driver if the car's position in the lane is inappropriate. In addition, the rear parking sensors provide an acoustic warning of the proximity of obstacles when reversing.
Platform for cost efficiency
For the first time in Europe, Citroën has developed the new ë-C3 around a platform that was designed from the outset for an all-electric powertrain. The vehicle is based on a version of Stellantis' global CMP Smart Car platform, which makes it possible to offer the new ë-C3 at affordable prices. The car was developed at the Stellantis Automotive Design Network in Velizy-Villacoublay near Paris, and will be manufactured at the Trnava plant in Slovakia. It will be available to dealers in spring 2024.
