In its latest teaser, Citroen has confirmed the eC3 moniker for its upcoming all-electric version of the C3 hatchback, which will see its market launch in January 2023. It will be locally manufactured and also exported to markets abroad.
The eC3 will be powered by a 30.2kWh battery pack that will be sourced from Chinese firm Svolt, although Citroen is looking to localise it in the longer run. The Citroen EV will have a 3.3kW onboard AC charger and will also be capable of CCS2 fast charging. The eC3’s front-axle-mounted electric motor is understood to produce 63kW (86hp) and 143Nm of peak torque.
Upon launch, the eC3 will be squarely aimed at the Tata Tiago EV, which uses a 24kWh battery pack in its higher spec for an ARAI-rated range of 315km. The eC3 can therefore be expected to have an ARAI-rated range of around 350km.
The eC3 will look almost identical to its ICE counterpart, inside out. The only exterior difference will be the lack of a tailpipe and a new charging port located on the front fender.
The interior is likely to see a revised centre console, with a new drive controller that will replace the manual gear lever. All other exterior body panels, interior and mechanicals, which have already been localised for the petrol-powered C3, will remain unchanged.
This has been done to optimise costs for the eC3; sharing parts and components with its ICE counterpart will help achieve better economies of scale. Affordable pricing remains the biggest challenge for EVs, but Citroen is confident they will be able to price the car competitively. While no price range has been indicated yet, it is safe to assume it will be priced around ₹10 lakh-12 lakh.
Citroen will also be exporting the eC3 from India, which will be crucial in giving a significant boost to overall C3 volumes that have been disappointingly low by segment standards.
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