2024 Citroen e-C3 could be an absolute steal

UPDATED 18/10/2023 3:45PM: Citroen Australia has confirmed to carsales the e-C3 is not available to or for the local market, thereby ruling it out as a contender for the title of Australia's cheapest EV.

In a statement issued this afternoon, a company spokesperson said it would “of course” be “interested in closely evaluating its suitability for local introduction” should the value-packed model eventually be made available for our market.

ORIGINAL ARTICLE PUBLISHED 18/10/2023 2PM: Iconic French brand Citroen is going after Chinese car-makers with the all-new 2024 Citroen e-C3, a small electric SUV it describes as “the first European affordable electric car” because it’s priced from €23,300 – the equivalent of $A38,715 – and there’s an even cheaper version on the way.

Citroen Australia is yet to publicly express any interest in the new electric runabout but there’s little doubt its release Down Under would throw a cat amongst the pigeons, particularly if the planned €19,990 ($A33,211) version was included in the hypothetical local range.

Pricing like that would comfortably make the entry-level e-C3 the most affordable EV in Australia, where it would retail for about half the price of the new Peugeot e-2008 and upcoming Volvo EX30.

However, while it would also undercut the $38,890 plus ORCs starting price of the upcoming BYD Dolphin electric hatch, it should be noted that the entry-level e-C3 will only have a range of about 200km – hence its remarkable targeted price tag.

Like a lot of passenger cars these days, the third generation of the pint-size C3 hatch was reimagined as an SUV in 2016 (and then facelifted in 2021) to better cater to the evolving preferences of consumers around the world, and now the fourth generation goes all-electric with the e-C3, whose 163mm of ground clearance contributes to its 1570mm roof height.

Hiding beneath that square body (measuring 4010mm long, 1760mm wide and 1570mm high) is a 44kWh lithium-ion battery pack that provides up to 320km of WLTP range via an 83kW electric motor mounted to the front axle.

Far from a dynamic speed machine, the 2024 Citroen e-C3 is claimed to stop the 0-100km/h clock in around 11 seconds and top out at 135km/h – perfectly reflecting its urban intentions – while the battery pack can be recharged at up to 100kW when using DC power.

Doing so will take the battery from 20-80 per cent in a claimed 26 minutes, whereas a 7kW AC single-phase wall box will take a bit over four hours, says Citroen.

The whole package rides on passive suspension backed by hydraulic bump stops and features a variant-specific array of 16- and 17-inch wheels.

Complementing the boxy exterior is parametric interior full of straight lines and rectangles, with a layered dash crowned by a 10.25-inch infotainment interface sporting smartphone mirroring.

Drivers steer via an oblong-shaped two-spoke steering wheel and can keep tabs on data including vehicle speed via a slimline digital instrument panel integrated into the top level of the dash, however, more information is provided by the standard head-up display.

Other equipment highlights include an integrated phone holder, connected services, automatic high-beam, reversing camera, climate control, two-tone paint job and all the latest active safety features.

The second-row seats fold flat in a 60:40 arrangement as per most modern SUVs and hatchbacks these days, and there’s 310 litres of boot space on offer with the rear pews in place.

“Customer expectations for vehicles in the B-segment have changed, notably with the rise in popularity of SUVs and the increasing desire to drive electric in and around our cities, and it has become more challenging for European vehicle makers to meet those expectations,” Citroen CEO Thierry Koskas said.

“Uniquely, Citroen is daring to do exactly that with the all-new, all-electric e-C3 for European buyers: a fresh, sharp and comfortable B-hatch that is fully-equipped, specifically designed for and made in Europe.”

We’ll update this article with Citroen Australia’s position on the e-C3 when we get a response from the French brand’s local importer.

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