New Citroën ë-C3 delivers 199-mile range for sub-£22k price tag
Citroën has confirmed pricing for the new C3 supermini and fully electric ë-C3 – designed to deliver “a beautifully simple vehicle at an extremely competitive price”.
Order books for the ë-C3 open in July, with pricing from £21,990 and a WLTP range of 199 miles, helping to make all-electric mobility accessible to all.
It’s followed by the new petrol-powered fourth-generation C3 in September, priced from £17,790.
Available in Plus and Max grades, the new ë-C3 is the first model from Stellantis to feature the new and cost-efficient ‘BEV-focused’ Smart Car platform – also shared with the new Vauxhall Frontera – and uses a 44kWh LFP (lithium ferro phosphate) battery pack, providing “smooth all-electric performance and elegant simplicity at astonishing value”.
Its 113hp (83kW) electric motor and automatic transmission accelerate the car from 0-62mph in around 11 seconds, and with a provisional top speed of 84mph.
Standard AC fast charging from 20% to 80% takes around four hours and 10 minutes using a 7.4kW charger, or two hours and 50 minutes with the optional 11kW onboard charger. The 100kW DC rapid charging capabilities allow charging from 20% to 80% in as little as 26 minutes.
Drivers can also plan journeys, as well as monitor their charging status and battery level in real-time, thanks to the new e-Routes app provided as part of the brand’s ‘Connect Plus’ connected services subscription. Using the MyCitroën app, ë-C3 drivers will be able to manage charging schedules, as well as pre-heat or pre-cool the vehicle for Max versions, and check its battery level and location.
In Europe, the new ë-C3 will be joined in 2025 by an even more affordable variant that will bear a 124-mile range and a €19,990 (some £17,000) price tag, but is yet to be confirmed for the UK.
The petrol-powered C3 features a PureTech 100 S&S six-speed manual with 128g/km of CO2, available in Plus trim only. A hybrid version will complete the range by the end of 2024.
The Plus trim – available across both powertrains – provides a new 10-inch central touchscreen, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and natural voice recognition, transforming this media system into a helpful personal assistant. All versions come with Advanced Comfort front seats and Advanced Comfort suspension while a one-year free subscription provides access to Citroën Connect Plus services featuring automatic data connection via the Citroën Connect Box emergency and assistance system.
Safety technologies include video-based active safety brake, active lane departure warning system, speed limit detection and recommendation, driver attention alert, hill start assist, cruise control, and a speed limiter.
The Max grade – solely offered on the ë-C3 and priced at £23,690, marking just under a £2k uplift – adds in rear parking camera, automatic air con, LED rear lights, dark-tinted windows, as well as a heated steering wheel, windscreen and heated front seats. Max versions also provide real-time traffic updates and speed camera awareness, through ‘Citroën Connect Plus’ services.