Citroën has unveiled its first electric car designed for the Indian market. The new ë-C3 is based on the ICE version which was launched in the market last year, and will hit showrooms in February.
Unlike the internal combustion engine variant that it is based on, the Citroën ë-C3 is powered by a 29.2 kWh battery pack, offering a range of 320 km. The electric motor generates 42 kW and 143 Nm of peak torque. The hatchback has a top speed of 107 km/h and it can do 0-60 km/h in 6.8 seconds. The car offers a claimed range of 320 km The Citroën ë-C3 will hit the showrooms in India in February 2023. Pre-launch bookings have already commenced.
Charging for the electric vehicle can be done on both AC and DC outlets, charging from 10 to 80 per cent in 57 minutes on a fast charger, while a regular 15-ampere outlet (3.3 kW AC) takes 10 hours and 30 minutes to charge from 10 to 100 per cent.
In terms of local target markets, the Citroën E-C3 is aiming for the likes of the Tata Tiago EV in the Indian market Citroën is expected to be introduced in the price range of Rs 8 to 13 lakhs (about €9,007 to €14,637). To compare, the Tiago EV launched at a base price of 849,000 rupees, equivalent to around 10,700 euros, with a 19.2 kWh battery and 250 km range.
Citroën had announced the move last year, but had not elaborated on which vehicle the French company would be marketing in India. At the time, it was said that the company would ramp up its dealership network in India, as well as expand their offers, as only the C5 Aircross had been on the market in limited numbers in India.
Timing for hte vehicle launch is favourable as other OEMs are slower to target India: The local Maruti’s first EV is only to release in 2025, while Hyundai is looking at a market launch in 2 to 3 years. Mahindra also announced plans to gear up electric vehicle production in cooperation with Volkswagen. This would be part of Mahindra’s plan to launch 16 electric vehicles by 2027. Tata Motors is also still ramping up EV production, although they already have an electric SUV Tigor and the above-mentioned Tiago EV on the market.
The only thing missing now is a major ramp-up of charging infrastructure in India, however that is also underway, as Tata Power announced around two weeks ago with plans to build 25,000 chargers across the nation over the next five years.
cartoq.com, timesnownews.com, citroen.in
Keyword: Citroën presents electric car for India