VELIZY, France — The following era of Citroen’s best-selling C3 small hatchback might be a full-electric mannequin in-built Europe that may promote for lower than 25,000 euros, stated Thierry Koskas, the model’s new CEO.

The mannequin, which might be referred to as the e-C3, can have large sneakers to fill, stated Koskas, who changed Vincent Cobee this February. The present C3 accounts for 30 p.c of Citroen’s gross sales in Europe, regardless that it’s seven years previous and primarily based on an older PSA Group platform than the remainder of Stellantis’ small automotive lineup.

“It’s completely outstanding how gross sales [of the C3] have held up,” Koskas informed journalists this week at Citroen mother or father Stellantis’ French headquarters in Velizy, west of Paris. 

Koskas acknowledged the risk from Chinese language manufacturers similar to SAIC’s MG model and BYD, that are exporting low-cost EVs to Europe. “They’ve very aggressive merchandise,” he stated, including that Citroen will rise to the problem. “Our response is the e-C3,” he stated.

Koskas described the e-C3 as a “small hatchback with SUV components,” however stated it shouldn’t be thought of a real crossover or SUV. Different small and minicars have adopted an identical design philosophy, together with the Toyota Aygo X minicar and the Dacia Sandero Stepway small automotive.  

The present C3 is in-built Trnava, Slovakia; earlier generations beginning in 2002 have been in-built Poissy, France.

Citroen already builds a low-price electrical C3 mannequin as a part of its Sensible Automotive program for India and different growing and rising markets.

The e-C3 for these areas began manufacturing in January in Chennai, India, at a manufacturing unit collectively owned by Stellantis and CK Birla. It’s primarily bought with gasoline engines and makes use of a platform that was developed with Tata Consulting. That mannequin has a spread of 320 km (200 miles) from a 29-kilowatt-hour battery.

A second of three deliberate Sensible Automotive fashions was introduced in April, the New C3 Aircross small SUV.

The European e-C3 might be revealed this autumn and can go on sale in 2024, Koskas stated. He declined to reveal additional particulars concerning the automotive together with vary and powertrain. 

The e-C3’s battery will present a spread of 300 km (186 miles) and can doubtless be made in China, three sources aware of the matter informed Reuters.

Koskas stated the approaching e-C3 for Europe can be a “distinctive” providing, as a “totally geared up” European-built small EV for lower than 25,000 euros. There are just a few full-electric minicars that promote for much less, notable the Chinese language-built Dacia Spring and the growing older Volkswagen e-Up, however the C3 can be the lowest-priced full-electric small automotive.

Different Stellantis small EVs, such because the Peugeot 208 and Opel Corsa, begin within the mid-30,000-euro vary.

“At present, there is no such thing as a equal in the marketplace,” Koskas stated. He stated the New e-C3 it could keep it up the custom of inexpensive, in style small vehicles from Citroen, together with the 2CV, AX, Visa and Saxo fashions from years previous.

Nevertheless, it’s anticipated to face competitors from the France-built Renault 5, which is because of launch later in 2024, and the VW ID2, which might be in-built Spain and attain the market by 2026. Variants for different VW Group manufacturers are deliberate.

By means of April, the present C3 was in sixth place within the small-car phase in Europe with 44,696 gross sales, in response to figures from Dataforce. Gross sales have been down 6.4 p.c in contrast with the identical interval in 2022.