REVIEW | Citroen ë-C3 - This electric car is fit for purpose

I hate wasting money. I’m not into designer labels and can’t see the point in spending a lot of hard earned money on something that can be bought more cheaply elsewhere. It’ll probably be just as good quality (or very close) to do exactly the same job, and if you damage it, you won’t be too fussed about getting rid of it. 

I view cars in a similar fashion. If you spend most of your life in an urban environment, why fork out for a luxury gas guzzler which’ll do well to hit 30mph on most days due to congestion? 

If you are a company rep who thrashes up and down the UK’s motorway network, then a long-legged cruiser will fit the bill.

Which is why, if you are considering buying the Citroen ë-C3, you need to first of all do a bit of homework because this is the classic case of a car which is fit for purpose. 

Let’s start with a few headlines.

Price & Range

The starting price is £22,095. Okay, it’s not the cheapest electric car, but it’s not far off and represents excellent value. 

Citroen reckons it’ll manage 199 miles on a full charge, which might be a little on the imaginative side. I reckon you’ll be looking at about 160 miles and even less in chilly weather, or if you intend on regularly doing 70mph on a motorway. In terms of charging times, a 20%-80% charge takes around 26 minutes on a rapid charger or a shade over 4 hours on a typical wallbox. 

Most electric cars are quick off the mark and have a decent 0-60mph time as you instantly have 100% power and no need to change any gears. The little Citroen’s battery-powered motor develops 111bhp, but the car takes 10.4 seconds to reach 60mph. Your top speed is limited to 82mph, so it’s not exactly a flying machine, but bearing in mind most of these cars will spend their lives in an urban setting, it’s plenty quick enough for those needs.

Consider your driving needs

So, it’s competitively priced but not particularly quick and only has a so-so range. 

Which is why you need to consider what your regular driving habitat is. If you drive a long-ish distance several times a week and with a decent load, the Citroen ë-C3 will frustrate you. 

However, if you’re a city dweller or rarely travel far, the ë-C3 will be ideal. Yes, it’ll cope with longer journeys, but you’ll need to take it easy; otherwise, you’ll be stopping to charge the battery on a regular basis. 

So for city and urbanites, this is a car that’s fit for purpose. 

Interior

Inside, the ë-C3 is surprisingly roomy. It has a decent sized boot and comes with the essential kit, which is a bonus to have if comfort is one of your major priorities. There are also light controls for simple city driving and the high-ish driving position also helps. Above all else, I think it looks good.

There are just two trims currently on offer - Plus and Max. Both have a smart, simple and neat interior. With Plus trim, you get the addition of things like air con, 10.5-inch central touchscreen, rear parking sensors, tyre pressure monitor, cruise control, and DAB radio, plus a load of safety gizmos. 

However, I’d definitely recommend the Max version, because even though it adds £1600 to the price, it’s worth it. You get the addition of front fog lights, auto climate control, wireless charging, rear camera, heated door mirrors, heated steering wheel, heated windscreen (great for clearing the frost) and the infotainment system, which now gets satellite navigation. Overall, the Max trim makes the car feel a bit more special, and you can even swap the roof colours at no additional cost. 

The big decision - Electric or Petrol?

The Citroen C3 is the French manufacturer’s top seller in the UK, and while the latest model is the 4th generation iteration of the C3, this is the first to be available with 100% electric power. If you’re not quite ready to go electric yet, then there is still the option of the petrol model. If you intend to stick with city streets, you may be advised to hang on for a few months because there’s a lower powered (and therefore cheaper) version in the pipeline with a range of about 125 miles. 

But Citroen has once again done what it is good at: building practical and comfortable cars. The Citroen ë-C3 will become part of the family. You can even squeeze three sensibly sized adults into the back seats. Those up front have loads of room. 

The value is another strong point, and the level of standard kit is good too. The only downside for many people will be the range, especially in wintery weather. But, if you have an average commuter run (35 miles in the UK apparently) and can charge the car at home, then the Citroen ë-C3 will take some beating.

words: Graham Courtney
pictures: Citroen