Citroen readying mix of "aggressively priced" electric cars

Citroën is readying a premix of smaller electrical cars that volition beryllium “aggressively priced” to undercut rivals successful the ever competitory entry-EV market.

Expected to get successful the adjacent mates of years, the smaller models volition get “kick-ass” designs to pull a wider lawsuit basal to the French brand, Citroën design brag Pierre Leclercq told Autocar.

They are apt to stock plan cues with the Citroën Oli conception and smaller Citroën Ami, similar the upcoming Citroën C3 Aircross, Leclercq said, adding they won’t conscionable beryllium smaller versions of bigger cars: “We are trying not to marque cars that person the Russian doll effect”. 

A terms constituent astir £25,000 is likely, fixed that Leclercq confirmed their pricing would springiness the marque a “huge advantage” successful the segments successful which they’ll sit. This would let them to undercut the fashionable £26,000 MG 4, £28,195 Fiat 500 Electric and £31,800 Vauxhall Corsa Electric.

“We conceived them to bring them with a truly assertive terms people connected the market,” helium said.

“I deliberation it's going to beryllium huge, immense vantage [over different car makers] for a marque similar Citroën. You know, arsenic premium brands look to go much premium, [there are] some radical who don’t person that benignant of wealth to bargain a car.”

Speaking astir the cars themselves, Leclercq added: “We person large products coming retired soon that are, I think, truly kicking ass successful presumption of design. It's going to beryllium super-cool. I mean, we're excited to enactment those things connected the road. Prices are going to beryllium truthful aggressive. We tin lone beryllium arrogant of having done it.

“So, I think, we person a large relation to play successful the car manufacture successful the adjacent mates of years.”

The electrical cars are highly likely to beryllium connected the CMP platform, which already underpins Stellantis cars specified as the Corsa and Peugeot e-208.

As a result, they tin usage the aforesaid 51kWh artillery arsenic the e-208, which offers a scope up to 248 miles. A single-motor acceptable up delivering astir 130bhp is likely, fixed that is what is expected for the upcoming Citroën C3 Aircross.

To prevention costs, the cars whitethorn also, arsenic shown connected the Oli concept, ditch infotainment for a strategy that links to the driver’s telephone – albeit not arsenic fund arsenic the solitary telephone clip successful the £7000 Ami.

“When you deliberation astir it, what bash radical want? They privation the champion on-board experience,” said Leclercq. 

“You unrecorded with your telephone each day. So the person we get [in a car] to what we person connected our phone, I deliberation the amended it is. You should conscionable person what you person connected your phone.”

Speaking antecedently to Autocar, Citroën’s merchandise and strategy director, Laurence Hansen, said: “Citroën loves to situation the manufacture norms. With [the Oli], we privation to find joyful, modern mobility, affordable and sustainable. It’s thing that we’re going to [continue] successful the agelong run, due to the fact that we deliberation it’s successful enactment with our DNA.”

She added: “The mean merchantability terms successful Europe for a car contiguous is €25,000 [£22,560]. Do [we] truly deliberation radical volition beryllium capable to put much tomorrow? We request to bash something. Will it beryllium precisely astatine the aforesaid price? Maybe not. With the economical situation that whitethorn travel successful six months, however volition you manage? If you don’t person a car, you don’t person life.”