New Citroen Ë-C3 due next year at under €30k
The new generation C3 has been completely reinvented, with a very fresh look incorporating the brand’s new design signature at the front and rear.
A new, all-electric Citroen Ë-C3 will be a game changer for the B-hatchback segment, according to the company’s CEO Thierry Koskas. He was speaking in Ireland at a special first view of the electric car, which will arrive here in the second half of next year priced at below €30,000.
At last week’s reveal of the new model, specially imported for the event, the Citroën boss said there is nothing in the European car market that is equivalent to it in price.
The current C3 is the brand’s most popular model representing 29pc of Citroën’s European sales volume.
The new generation C3 has been completely reinvented, with a very fresh look incorporating the brand’s new design signature at the front and rear. While it is slightly higher on the road compared to other hatch-style cars, it is not an SUV but benefits from SUV-style ground clearance making entry and exit easier.
The new Ë-C3, Mr Koskas said, will complement the arrival of the new extended range Ë-C4 and Ë-C4X models. The car is manufactured at the Stellantis Trnava manufacturing plant in Slovakia, one of the most efficient factories in Europe where a car rolls off the production line every 58 seconds. Citroën has engineered the new Ë-C3 around a platform designed from the outset to accommodate an all-electric powertrain and this has enabled them to make the new Ë-C3 accessible to customers at less cost than an average petrol-engined B-hatchback car.
Citroën is renowned for the comfort of its seating and this new model combines the brand’s patented Advanced Comfort Suspension (available in the B-segment for the first time and standard in all versions) with new style Advanced Comfort seating. They claim the new car will have best-in-class comfort. The interior provides a lounge-type ambience and a sense of space not found in a normal hatchback. A horizontal fascia stretches across the entire dashboard area, split into two levels, with the technical features above, and a fabric-wrapped section below. The big surprise is the lack of a traditional instrument cluster. Instead, the car uses a new Head-Up Display that reflects all the vehicle information onto a glossy black section between the top of the dash panel and the bottom of the windscreen. This means there is no duplication of information as there would traditionally be between a Head-Up Display and the instrument cluster. The styling also includes a compact steering wheel.
The system technology includes a smart trip planner that monitors in real-time the range to destination and keeps the driver informed on when and where they may need to charge the battery. The car uses a 44kWh battery pack to deliver up to a 320km WLTP-rated driving range which Citroën says is sufficient for the average owner. Research shows that 95pc of B-segment customers rarely drive more than this range each day. The 113hp electric motor accelerates the car from 0-100km/h in about 11 seconds and allows a top speed of 135km/h. The Ë-C3 will use a less expensive battery to help keep costs down but will be capable of fast charging from 20pc to 80pc in under 30 minutes.
The line-up has been kept simple. Customers will have a choice of Level 1 or Level 2 grades and colour options. No more than five option packs will be offered. Standard items will include wireless charging, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connectivity, navigation with a 10.2-inch screen, automatic air conditioning, LED lights and a comprehensive suite of driver assistance systems.
The platform will be shared with other Stellantis models from Opel, Peugeot, and Fiat, but Citroen models will keep ‘their uniqueness’ including the comfort features, suspension and seating as well as the HUD display. The Citroën brand was established more than a century ago and has a very wide range of vehicles.
At the debut in Gowan Auto, Citywest, Citroën Ireland’s Colin Sheridan said the car will cost under €25,000 in EU countries but with our taxation regime, it will cost more for Irish buyers, but still come in at under €30,000 here. A version to be offered in other markets at €19,000 will have a 200kms range which is unlikely to be offered to Irish buyers. There will also be thermal-engine versions.
A B-segment SUV will follow based on the same platform which will come with a 7-seat version.
