New £21,990 Citroen e-C3 becomes UK’s cheapest 200-mile EV

• Available to order from July 2024
• Costs from £21,990
• 199-mile range

This is the new Citroen e-C3, an electric hatchback with chunky SUV-inspired looks and the first model to sport the French marque’s new branding – but that’s not the most interesting thing about it. The upcoming Citroen e-C3 could be one of the most influential cars from the brand in quite some time, thanks to its low starting price of £21,990.

It’s a figure that makes it the cheapest EV of its type, arriving well ahead of the Volkswagen Group’s promised budget EVs when Citroen’s order books open in July. The e-C3 will also be joined by petrol-powered C3 models from September, so there will be plenty of choice for customers after something closer to the £18k mark.

Even the electric e-C3 is set to get cheaper still, with a smaller-battery version arriving later down the line, expected to cost around £20,000. This model will be capable of up to 124 miles of range.

16

What do I need to know about the 2024 Citroen e-C3?

The e-C3’s design is inspired by the Citroen Oli concept revealed last year, and features an upright, boxy look with the brand’s updated logo, harking back to the original used way back in 1919 over a century ago. The car is now larger than the previous C3, which Citroen says has allowed for improved visibility and a more comfortable, upright driving position.

We were given an exclusive early look at the new e-C3’s interior, and it’s been freshly redesigned compared to the outgoing C3. There’s some Citroen-esque quirkiness by way of a small head-up display that sits discreetly in a small hollow ahead of the driver. 

In the centre of the dash there’s a 10-inch touchscreen infotainment system, and fans of physical controls will be glad to hear that Citroen has kept separate heating and ventilation knobs and switches underneath it. The soft Active Comfort seats should keep occupants sitting comfortably, but despite a generous amount of headroom thanks to its upright stance, the rear legroom appears a little cramped.

16

Ride comfort is a factor the brand has long been known for, however, and Citroen has installed hydraulic bump-stops across the C3 and e-C3 range in the pursuit of a smooth, refined ride. 

What’s the e-C3’s range and performance going to be like?

Keeping the e-C3’s price down is its 44kWh LFP (lithium ferro phosphate) battery pack, that’s slightly less efficient in cold environments than lithium-ion battery tech, but costs less to produce. The e-C3 also isn’t likely to be offered with a heat pump to help eek out range in cooler weather, but the brand says most of its customers drive less than 50 miles a day, and the e-C3 will be capable of up to 199 miles from a single charge.

The e-C3 gets a front-mounted electric motor producing 112bhp, propelling it from 0-62mph in around 11 seconds, with a top speed of 84mph. 

Charging speeds will be pretty snappy, though, with the e-C3 getting up to 100kW DC fast-charging, meaning a charge from 20 to 80% takes around 26 minutes. Home wallbox AC charging speeds are 7.4kW as standard, but faster 11kW AC charging capability will also be an option.

Petrol-powered C3s will form part of the range, costing from £17,790 for the PureTech 100 with a six-speed manual available to order from September. This will be followed later in 2024 by a mild-hybrid version with a six-speed automatic gearbox that’s likely to come in at just under £20k. 

The Citroen e-C3 will be available in two trim levels: Plus, and Max. All models will get cruise control, air conditioning, rear parking sensors, LED headlights and emergency autonomous braking tech – not bad for a £21,990 EV. The Max trim adds a rear parking camera, automatic air conditioning, LED rear lights, tinted rear glass and a winter kit with heated front seats, a heated windscreen and a heated steering wheel.

Read what we thought of the outgoing petrol model with our in-depth review of the Citroen C3...