The Drive Report: Citroën ë-C3 

Despite having a contender or two champion its cause, the budget EV, in India, is yet to come of age. Citroën threw its hat in the ring not too long ago, and ever since then we’ve sat with baited breath to see just what sort of quirky, French spin the Stellantis-owned carmaker would put on the humdrum tale of the mass-market EV. The ë-C3 appears to be that car. In profile, it’s no different than the standard C3 – the first in a series of three models produced using the brand’s C-cubed platform.

Having arrived shortly after the Tata Tiago EV, a car it surpasses in sheer size and aims to surpass in capability and appeal, the ë-C3 has some catching-up to do. But upon first glance it’s clear that it comes with the advantage of a much sharper design. What remains to be seen is whether it’s just a snappy dresser, or a good dancer?

The basics 

The ë-C3 gets a 29.2 kWh battery, with a single, front axle-mounted electric motor generating 57 ps of power and 143 Nm of torque. In profile, it’s almost indistinguishable from its ICE counterpart, save for different colour schemes and the presence of not one but two charging outlets, one of which, as it turns out, is just a dummy fuel lid from the ICE C3. Still, by sheer fortune of being a more contemporary design, the ë-C3 is very attractive in the metal. Although not classified as such, its unmistakably crossover-esque silhouette does much to elevate it in the ranks of e-hatchbacks – a space that is populated by a grand total of two cars at present. By default then, the ë-C3 wins the design round.

Watch | Citroën ë-C3: Does Tata Tiago EV now has competition? | The Drive Report

Performance

It’s the rest of it that the ë-C3 appears to struggle with. Its 29.2 kWh battery has a claimed range of 320km, which in the real world translates to roughly 240km. That, plus the fact that its top speed is limited to 107 kph rules out any possibility of this being a highway-worthy car. Not that it was attempting to be that. When compared directly to the likes of the Tiago EV, it’s got a higher amount of torque (the Tiago top-end gets 114 Nm) but it doesn’t quite reflect in the ë-C3’s accelerative prowess. Still, performance is extremely smooth, and it doesn’t take long for the ë-C3 to hit its stride.

Interiors

Paradoxically enough, the cabin of the ë-C3 happens to be one of its big draws and also its big drawback. The dashboard layout is superb (and identical) , the materials are top notch and the overall sense of quality is palpable. Yet, in a feature conscious marketspace, the ë-C3’s biggest misstep lies in depriving its cabin of key features like a reversing camera, a button-operated central locking system and of course, a tachometer. The camera can be added as an optional feature for roughly Rs 3500, and there are plenty of options to customise the colour scheme of the dash. Yet the lack of multiple regen modes leaves the cabin a bit poorer than the car it will, in all likelihood, be compared to – the Tiago EV.

Where it stands out is how intelligently the cabin has been designed. The plastics are top-notch, as is the sense of space, and the storage compartments. The steering wheel design, along with the overall space utilisation in the ë-C3 makes the cabin a place you like to be in. It rises above the needs of the segment to become a truly well-designed and colourful cockpit with the largest infotainment screen in the segment equipped with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Battery and performance 

A 29.2 kWh battery is a sizable one. And to the brand’s credit, it has been placed optimally in a manner that makes the car superb in terms of handling. Most curved and banked turns can be taken flat out, and the ë-Č’s composure at high speeds gives away its pedigree immediately. This is a car that is noticeably well built and well-engineered.

And yet, considering the Nexon EV has a standard battery size of 30.2 kWh, the ë-C3 should have been able to squeeze out a bit more range or let its motor offer more power than 57 PS. Given that it features LFP or Lithium Iron Phosphate chemistry over NMC one, it isn’t as power dense. The chemistry has been chosen primarily to ensure that the air-cooled battery (the Tiago EV is liquid-cooled) can be more stable under high temperatures (LFP batteries are comparatively less likely to experience thermal runaway). It also allows the battery to be charged to 100 per cent without any overcharging hassles and features a higher number of charging cycles than the more power dense and quick to charge NFP batteries. So while the longevity of the battery is greater (the ë-C3 offers a 7-year warranty over the battery) it takes longer to charge, and so a 15 AMP socket charges the ë-C3 fully in 10 hours and 30 minutes.

I can’t speak of how well the battery performs under constant stress, having driven it briefly on a test track near Chennai, but if you’re looking for a city e-hatch with prioritises style over features – the ë-C3 is a perfectly adequate city car with more than plenty of range for the everyday commute, and a more reliable battery chemistry.

Other than its cornering prowess, it was hard to ascertain on a butter-smooth surface like the Wabco Test Track, how much of Citroën’s famed ride quality made it to the ë-C3 but it is a decidedly comfortable car to be in. I’d go so far as to say that ergonomically, this has an upper hand over the likes of the Tiago purely based on the comfort of the seats.

The ë-C3 may not have multiple regen modes, but in Eco mode, the regen braking is much stronger and actively works towards halting the car quicker.

Verdict

For the ë-C3 to succeed as an EV, pricing is key. However, given that in terms of dimensions and battery size, it sits between the Tiago EV and the Nexon EV, expect its price point to follow-suit. Those expecting its price to undercut the Tiago’s will be a tad disappointed. But what they will get is a bonafide European EV coming-in at a relatively affordable price tag. One with segment-best looks, a smooth powertrain, ample range, a more well-weighted steering and optimum weight management for an ICE platform retrofitted with an EV powertrain.