The range of good electric cars with a reasonable range has grown considerably in recent years, while the continuously improving charging network means that an electric car works for more and more people.
The only problem is that all electric cars have been too expensive for the broad masses, and the next wave in electrification is thus small, cheap electric cars where you don’t have to compromise on range.
The new Citroën ë-C3, with a base price of just under SEK 300,000, is one of the first cheap electric cars on the market.
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Built in Europe for Europe
Electric cars for under 300,000 kroner have existed before in Europe, but they have been very simple, small and slow creations with limited range and charging speed.
A common solution for cheap electric cars is also to put production in China to bring the price down. The Citroën ë-C3 is instead built in Slovakia, and offers a range of a good 320 kilometers.
Citroën C3 is for the first time an SUV – Photo: Citroën
The 44 kWh battery, which is incidentally the only larger component that currently comes from China, can be quickly charged up to an output of 100 kW.
Going forward, the new Citroën C3 will also come as a plug-in hybrid, gasoline hybrid, and with a traditional gasoline engine. For Sweden, however, the electric version is the most interesting, so that’s where we put our focus.
With a focus on costs
The key to bringing down the price of the new Citroën ë-C3 and still building a quality car has been to use the same philosophy that the brand uses in its cheapest models for India and Brazil.
It’s about prioritizing the details that customers really care about, and saving on everything else.
The concept is inspired by India and Brazil – Photo: Citroën
For example, the car is equipped with an air heat pump, which is good for efficiency, but must be started in the traditional way with a key.
Overall, the number of components in the car has been reduced by around 25 percent.
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Cheap but solid
The place where the cost-effective philosophy is perhaps most noticeable is in the interior, which at first glance feels relatively lavish for such a rationally built car.
The design of the dashboard is attractive with materials that look interesting, and well-padded seats have been used both front and back. The logic is that a real Citroën should offer good comfort, although I can think that an adjustable lumbar support on the driver’s seat would have been appropriate.
The interior feels cheap, but well built – Photo: Citroën
If you look a little closer, however, you see that both the door panels and the dashboard are made of cheap hard plastic, but this does not appear to be a problem.
The build quality feels incredibly solid for a cheap Stellantis product, and it feels like the interior will hold together for many years.
Good space for the size
Thanks to the fact that the C3 is now a small SUV instead of a hatchback, there is also plenty of interior space.
The rear seat offers good headroom, and it is surprisingly easy to sit behind a tall driver considering that the car is only a little over four meters long. The trunk is also a satisfactory size.
In true French fashion, there are also some odd solutions. For example, they have borrowed a leaf from Peugeot’s book and mounted a ganksa small steering wheel that you look above to see the small display that makes up the instruments. A solution that works well.
The back seat is unexpectedly spacious – Photo: Citroën
In the middle we find a large touchscreen that houses the infotainment system, which offers both wireless Apple Carplay and Android Auto. During this we find that they have not skimped on physical controls for the ventilation, which is appreciated.
On the cheapest version, called You, the screen is replaced by a mount for a phone. A special app then ensures that the phone can communicate with the car.
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Citroën ë-C3 is stable and safe
When you go out on the road, you find that you have not skimped on the road characteristics either.
Perhaps the biggest compliment you can give a car with such compact dimensions as the new Citroën C3 is that it feels grown-up from behind the wheel, with a low noise level and a stable and safe chassis.
On the road, the car feels stable and safe – Photo: Citroën
Compared to other electric cars, the Citroën ë-C3 offers relatively modest performance, with an output of 113 horsepower and a 0 to 100 time in 11 seconds. However, the car is still more nimble than a comparable petrol car, which can be considered good enough.
However, a certain delay in the throttle response can cause it a bit when you have to react quickly in an intersection.
Don’t skimp on comfort
Something that has also not been overlooked is comfort, which as I said is a central feature for a Citroën.
Relatively soft suspension has been fitted in combination with hydraulic suspension stops, which means that both large and small bumps are handled incredibly well for such a compact car.
This was put to the test when we crossed the border from Austria into Hungary, and the roads suddenly resembled a lunar landscape.
The comfort is impressive for a small car – Photo: Citroën
The focus on comfort and the stable driving feeling, on the other hand, means that the Citroën ë-C3 is not quite as playful as you might expect from a small French car. The steering is relatively slow, and the chassis is not very nimble with plenty of lean in the curves.
For most customers, this is probably a sensible compromise.
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Citroën ë-C3 is available in two variants
With the new ë-C3, it feels like Citroën has really thought through every single detail to deliver an affordable electric car at a reasonable price tag.
The execution is simple in places, but the car has the driving characteristics of a larger wagon and feels well built. In addition, the range is good and the comfort is good.
In Sweden, the car will be offered in the two versions You and Max, the first of which is the country’s cheapest electric car with a basic price of SEK 299,990.
The big loss compared to the Max version is that the ë-C3 You does not offer the winter package with heating in the steering wheel and front seats.
This means that you have to pay an extra SEK 50,000 for the more expensive version.
Then the price still stands out as good. However, whether this holds when competitors launch equivalent models remains to be seen.
The first customer examples of the Citroën ë-C3 are on site in Sweden this autumn.
First impressions of the Citroën ë-C3: 4.5/5
Citroën ë-C3 (2024)
Engine: Front electric motor, 113 horsepower, 143 newton meters.
Transmission: 1-speed automatic transmission, front wheel drive
Acceleration 0-100 km/h: 11.0 seconds
Top speed: 135 km/h
Scope: 320 km WLTP
Weight: 1,416 kg
Dimensions (length/width/height): 4015/1813/1577 mm
Award: From SEK 299,990