Overview
Citroën is a leading French automobile manufacturer, now owned by Netherlands based Stellantis N.V., which was formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Italian/ American) and Groupe PSA (French). Stellantis owns a diverse and comprehensive portfolio of leading automotive brands, to include, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Jeep, FIAT, Alfa Romeo etc. Previously, Peugeot owned a 89.95% stake in the company.
But of course, Citroën started life in 1919 in a much humbler context. The company was founded by André Citroën, a French industrialist. Though Citroën has had many successful models, the Citroën 2CV certainly stands out. The car was unveiled in 1948 and remained in production up until 1990. In total over 9 million 2CV variants were manufactured during this period. In 2009 Citroën announced the introduction of a premium brand ‘DS’ (Different Spirit/ Distinctive Series). Citroën is present in 101 countries and has a network of 6,200 points of sale and service throughout the world.
The Citroen electric vehicle (EV) portfolio includes both, battery-electric vehicle (BEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) models:
Electric Cars: The Basics
For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:
Air Quality: The Complete Guide For The UK
Overview Citroën is a leading French automobile manufacturer, now owned by Netherlands based Stellantis N.V., which was formed by the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (Italian/ American) and Groupe…
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The All-Electric Citroën ë-C3 SUV
If there is a trend that is gaining significant momentum, and for good reason, it is, the introduction of new compact SUVs, in particular, compact zero-tailpipe emission SUVs. The view that SUVs have to be ‘big and bad’ is now fast changing to ‘small and beautiful’. Automotive manufacturers (OEMs) from across the globe have been actively developing battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) for this segment. Some examples are: the all-electric BYD Atto 3 SUV, the all-electric Fiat 600e SUV, the all-electric Honda e: Ny1 SUV, the all-electric Kia EV3 SUV, the all-electric Smart #1 and all-electric Smart #3 SUVs and more!
The all-electric Citroën ë-C3 SUV (B-segment) joins a segment with both, significant potential, but also fierce competition. Having said that, the ë-C3 has much to offer for those families keen to migrate to an affordable and compact pure electric car. The ë–C3 BEV is available in two trims, with prices starting at just under £22k. Certainly affordable! The new ë-C3 is the first model from parent company Stellantis to feature the new and ‘BEV-focussed’ Smart Car platform.
We encourage consumers to not look only at the retail price of a vehicle, but the life-cycle cost of ownership of a vehicle, to include, maintenance, repair, servicing, recharging (refilling) costs etc. In reality, after factoring all costs related to ownership of a vehicle, EVs have far lower life-cycle costs compared to owning a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle. Switching to electric saves money and also reduces the impact on the environment.
The Citroën ë-C3 electric has a 44 kWh (349V) onboard LFP (Lithium Iron Phosphate) EV battery, with a claimed range up to 199 miles (WLTP). The Japanese automotive manufacturer Honda, was one of the first few global OEMs to challenge the notion that all electric cars had to have a large onboard EV battery. Honda argued that most day-to-day driving needs, in particular, in cities and towns, are short commutes (i.e. school runs, grocery store, local high street, gym, work etc).
Honda further argued that a smaller EV battery is far more than adequate for such consumers, providing more than adequate e-range, lowering the cost of the electric vehicle (EV) and also lowering its life-cycle emission environmental footprint. The all-electric Honda-e was developed on this approach. The Honda-e has a 35.5 kWh EV battery! For those new to electric driving, pure electric cars have far fewer moving parts compared to a petrol and diesel car. The most significant component of an all-electric car is the onboard EV battery, which could account for as much as 60% of the electric vehicle (EV) cost. In recent years, the industry has witnessed a significant decrease in battery costs, and this trend is set to continue!
We agreed then, and even agree today, that compact zero-tailpipe emission electric vehicles should be a preferred choice of consumers. Even adjusting for real-world driving conditions, the ë-C3 pure electric should be able to deliver a real-world e-range up to 170 miles on a full charge. Perfect for families living in towns and cities. For those occasional longer distance trips, the EV can be DC rapid charged up to 100 kW DC (20%-80%: 26 minutes).
For home charging, the ë-C3 electric can be fully charged at 7.4 kW (single-phase) via a smart electric car charger in 7 hours and 10 minutes. Citroën offers an upgrade to a three-phase (11 kW AC) onboard charger. However, as most homes in the UK are powered by single-phase power supply, upgrading is not necessary. Of course, if you have access to 3-phase AC EV charging, it is then worth considering. The BEV can be fully charged in 4 hours and 50 minutes via a dedicated three-phase smart EV charger.
If you are new to electric driving, EVs are predominantly charged at home, usually overnight, when the electricity tariff rates are the lowest. However, charging an electric car at home can become even cheaper by installing home solar panels and battery storage. At e-zoomed we offer very attractive home solar & home battery storage bundle offers of varying sizes and budgets.
The four-door crossover electric SUV is available in two trims, the ë-C3 Plus and the ë-C3 Max. Both trims offer as standard: 10.25″ touchscreen, head-up display, wireless smartphone mirroring (Apple CarPlay/ Android Auto), hill start assist, cruise control/ speed limiter, safety pack (video-based active safety brake, active lane departure warning system, speed limit recognition), driver attention alert and more! The BEV offers a 310 L boot (. By way of comparison the Smart #3 SUV offers a 370 L boot and the Fiat 600e offers up to 360 L.
In terms of size, the 5-seat ë-C3 is even more compact than the #3 and 600e. The ë-C3 is 4m in length and 1.57m in height. In comparison, the 600e is 4.1m in length and 1.52m in height, while the #3 is 4.4m in length and 1.55m in height. The taller height for the ë-C3 helps improve headroom for taller passengers! The ë-C3 is a reinvention of the conventional C3 hatchback. The fourth-generation variant is the new Citroën design language, first unveiled in 2022 on the Citroën Oli concept car.
The front-wheel drive (FWD) 83 kW (electric motor) ë-C3 can achieve 0-62 mph in 10.4 seconds (maximum power: 113 HP/ torque: 124.5 Nm). The top speed of the EV is 82 mph. The BEV also incorporates regenerative braking. Given the primary focus of this BEV are urban drivers, the performance on offer is more than adequate.
Company-car drivers can take advantage of the lower Benefit-in-Kind (BiK-2%) tax charge for pure electric cars. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet. You can lease electric vehicles (EVs) via e-zoomed at very competitive prices!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| An affordable electric car (one of the cheapest BEVs in the market) | Exterior styling may not be too everyones liking |
| Decent real-world electric range/ DC charging up to 100 kW DC | Smaller boot compared to other compact electric SUVs |
| Comfortable interiors with decent level of equipment | No frunk/ no sunroof/ no heat pump |
Gallery
The All-Electric Citroën ë-C3 SUV (credit: Citroën)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV) |
| Body Type: | SUV |
| Plug-In Car Grant (PiCG): | Not Available |
| Engine: | Electric |
| Available In UK: | Yes |
| Variants (2 Options) |
|---|
| Citroën ë-C3 Plus (from £21,990) |
| Citroën ë-C3 Max (from £23,690) |
| EV Battery & Emissions | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Type: | Lithium-ion |
| EV Battery Capacity: | Available in one battery size: 44 kWh |
| Charging: | 100 kW DC charging (20%-80%: 26 mins). Onboard AC charger: 7.4 kW AC Standard (0%-100%: 7 hrs 10 mins)/ 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 4 hrs 50 mins) |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 0g (CO2/km) |
| EV Battery Warranty: | 8 years or 100,000 miles (70% capacity) |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 16.7 kWh | £2.40 |
| Battery net capacity : 30.0 kWh | £4.32 |
| Battery net capacity : 39.2 kWh | £5.64 |
| Battery net capacity : 45.0 kWh | £6.48 |
| Battery net capacity : 50.0 kWh | £7.20 |
| Battery net capacity : 64.0 kWh | £9.22 |
| Battery net capacity : 71.0 kWh | £10.22 |
| Battery net capacity : 77.0 kWh | £11.09 |
| Battery net capacity : 90.0 kWh | £12.96 |
| Battery net capacity : 100.0 kWh | £14.40 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in the UK varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for the UK is 14.40 p/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| Charging Times (Overview) | |
|---|---|
| Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW): | 6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC) |
| Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW): | 3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging AC (43 kW): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Rapid charging DC (50 kW+): | 0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+): | 0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
| Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW): | 0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1577 |
| Width (mm): | 1813 |
| Length (mm): | 4015 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2540 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 10.6 |
| Boot Space (L): | 310 (seats folded: 1188 L) |
| Frunk (L): | N/A |
| ë-C3 | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 44 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 198 miles |
| Electric Energy Consumption (Wh/km): | 174 |
| Charging: | 100 kW DC charging (20%-80%: 26 mins). Onboard AC charger: 7.4 kW AC Standard (0%-100%: 7 hrs 10 mins)/ 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 4 hrs 50 mins) |
| Top Speed: | 82 mph |
| 0-62 mph: | 10.4 seconds |
| Drive: | Front-wheel drive (FWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | 83 |
| Horsepower (hp): | 113 |
| Torque (Nm): | 124.5 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 5 |
| Kerb Weight (kg): | 1,416 |
| Towing Capacity (Braked/Unbraked)/ (kg): | 550/550 |
| Colours: | 6 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | N/A |
While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.
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