Citroen has officially confirmed that the electric version of the C3 hatchback will soon arrive in our market. Called the Citroen eC3, the new electric hatchback will be the brand’s first attempt in the fast-growing EV market of India. In fact, Citroen has sent us a Block Your Date invite with a tagline “Taking a step into the future, #Expressyoutstyle with new Citroen eC3 electric.”
The new Citroen C3 electric hatchback has already been spotted testing on the Indian roads. The new eC3 electric will be based on the e-CMP (electric Common Modular Platform), which will also underpin the electric Fiat Panda. The previous spy images reveal that the eC3 electric will feature a charging port on the right fender. The small EV will receive changes in the form of closed front grille and revised bumper. It will look largely identical to the existing model.
The eCMP platform currently underpins the Peugeot e-208, which features a 50kWh battery pack in Europe. The electric motor offers 136PS and 260Nm, and returns a real-world range of up to 362km in Europe. We expect the new model will receive a smaller battery pack, which could be a 30.2kWh unit powering a single electric motor. This motor is reportedly to offer 84bhp and 143Nm of torque.
The new Citroen eC3 electric will be positioned against the recently launched Tata Tiago EV; however, the former will offer higher range. It is expected to offer a range of over 300km on a single charge. The new Citroen C3 electric is likely to get more basic featured compared to the regular model. It is expected to get automatic AC, rear wiper and washer, electrically adjustable ORVMs, rear defogger and cruise control.
The new Citroen eC3 electric is expected to be unveiled in January 2023. The launch could take place in Q2, 2023, most probably by April 2023. It is likely to be priced around Rs 13 lakh (ex-showroom).
