Citroen has taken the wraps off its first electric car in India, the Citroen eC3, an all-electric version of the Citroen C3 hatchback. The French carmaker will also export the Citroen eC3 from India, augmenting its overall production numbers. While bookings for the Citroen eC3 will commence from January 22, it’s going to be fully launched with prices in February 2023. The new French electric car will challenge the likes of the Tata Tiago EV. Here is everything you need to know about the Citroen eC3.
What is Citroen eC3?
The Citroen eC3 is the electric-powered model of the Citroen C3, which is already on sale in India. The French electric hatchback looks almost identical to its petrol-powered counterpart, with the only exterior difference being the omission of the tailpipe and a charging port located on the front fender. On the inside, the Citroen eC3 gets a slightly revised centre console, with a new drive controller in place of manual gear lever.
All other exterior body panels and interior components, which have already been localised for the petrol-powered Citroen C3, are carried over to the Citroen eC3. This will help the French carmaker price the eC3 aggressively against the Tiago EV.
Citroen eC3: Battery pack and Range
The Citroen eC3 comes with a 29.2kWh battery pack that has an ARAI-certified range of 320 km. The battery pack is currently being sourced from Chinese firm Svolt, although Citroen intends to localise this as well in the longer run. The Citroen eC3 has a front-axle-mounted electric motor which churns out 58 PS of power and 143 Nm of peak torque. The electric hatchback gets two driving modes: eco and standard, and also gets regenerative braking. Moreover, there is a 3.3kW AC charger onboard which is also capable of DC fast charging. With DC fast charging, the eC3 can be charged from 10-80 percent in 57 minutes, while with a home charger the battery can top-up from 10-100 percent in 10.5 hours.
Citroen is offering a 7 year/1,40,000km warranty on the battery pack, a 5 year/1,00,000km warranty on the electric motor and a 3 year/1,25,000km warranty on the car itself.
Citroen eC3: Features and Safety
Identical to the petrol-powered Citroen C3, the Citroen eC3 will be available in two variants: Live and Feel. The higher Feel variant sports a 10.2-inch touchscreen, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, four-speaker audio system and height-adjustable driver’s seat.
Moreover, the Citroen eC3 features connected car tech with the MyCitroen Connect app with 35 features, which lets you check the car’s charging status, its location, and find the nearest charging station. In terms of safety features, the Citroen eC3 sports dual airbags, ABS with EBD, and rear parking sensors.
Citroen eC3: Price and Rivals
The Citroen eC3 is expected to be priced at Rs. 9 – 13 lakh (ex-showroom) and will rival the Tata Tiago EV, which uses a 19.2 kWh battery pack and a 24kWh battery pack, that offer ranges of 250 km and 315 km respectively.
