Citroen eC3 First Impressions Review

At the outset, something must be made clear: this isn’t a full-fledged review. We drove the Citroen eC3 on a smooth test track for about half an hour with speed and road-use limitations, so there’s only so much we can extrapolate for the real world before we start dealing in heavy hypotheticals. However, the first impressions have given us a good idea of what you should and more importantly, should not expect from this electric city hatchback.

What You Should Expect

A Great Looker!

Fast fashion brands have taught us that affordability and desirability can go hand in hand, and the Citroen C3 also proves this principle. It’s an attention-grabbing bit of design that pops, especially when chosen with light colours, like the orange and white combo that’s been exclusively introduced for the eC3.

A Purpose Built EV, Not Adapted

The electrified C3 hatchback arrives less than a year after the petrol versions were introduced.  Citroen was able to achieve this simply because their underlying platform was designed for electric drivetrains to begin with. The end result:

• Ground clearance stands at 170mm (vs the C3 petrol’s 180mm)

• The cabin’s floor height has increased by just 2.80 inches (about the width of an iPhone 12). While this does affect the underthigh support, the difference is marginal

• At 315 litres, the boot space is identical to the Citroen C3 petrol. The spare tyre stays as is, so practicality doesn’t take a hit either.

An Easy To Drive EV

The drive setup is as basic as it gets. There’s a knob to shuffle between Drive, Neutral and Reverse - no P for Park. There’s an ‘Eco’ button to shift to a more sedate motor output but even that doesn’t seem necessary considering how relaxed and progressive the eC3’s performance is. 

With 57PS and 143Nm on tap, the eC3 is down on power vs the standard C3 petrol ‘Puretech 82’ (-25PS) though it does make more torque (+28Nm). Not a monumental difference but the eC3 is also over 300kg heavier than the Citroen C3, courtesy the compact but heavy 29.2kWh battery pack that delivers an ARAI-rated range of 320km.

And this battery pack is naturally i.e. air-cooled, so it isn’t running a tertiary cooling system that’d make it heavier*. Electric performance is more immediate, of course, but the eC3’s tuned to make even the most amateur of drivers feel at ease driving an EV. No sudden burst of performance or wheelspin even if you pin the throttle. Simply put, it’s almost impossible for the C3’s performance to overwhelm you.

*Citroen has extensively tested the car’s on-board thermal management system in Indian conditions and found it to be effective even in torture tests.

What You Shouldn’t Expect

‘EV Excitement’

While the eC3 is extremely easy to drive, it’s not the car you’d want if you envision the EV switch to be one that’s exciting. 0-60kmph takes 6.8 seconds (claimed), which is marginally slower than the Tata Tiago EV’s 5.7 seconds (claimed). Performance also tapers off quickly and the climb after 60kmph is gradual. In our road tests, the standard Citroen C3 managed 0-100kmph in just over 14 seconds. Multiple timed runs at the track saw the eC3 taking roughly 17 seconds for the same task.

The real-world performance will not be an issue in regular city traffic but highway overtakes may involve a bit of planning. Citroen admits, this is by design. They envision a lot of people buying this as their first car/their child’s first car – or buyers who employ drivers (fleet and private alike) and therefore, could prefer a car that serves up no surprises when driven, pleasant or unpleasant.

Electrified Differentiators

Well, we’re actually glad about this. The C3 is a good looking car, so meddling with it to show off the EV drivetrain could’ve easily fouled what is a handsome hatchback. Funnily, the petrol fuel-door is still there at the rear, but the charger flap is actually on the front fender. That aside, there are three blue ‘e’ badges on the car. No closed-off grille, no contrast blue or green accents to brag about the eco-friendly tech or anything of the sort.

While some buyers may actually want something more differentiated, these subtle touches seem nicer. A matter of personal opinion, of course. 

Elimination Of The C3’s Flaws

It’s hard to ignore strange misses like electrically adjustable or foldable mirrors. There’s no rear wiper/washer or rear defogger nor do you get auto AC, push-button start or passive keyless entry. Even the digital instrument cluster is basic to the point of seeming outdated. As you’d imagine, the eC3 will be more expensive than its petrol counterpart, so these misses only get harder to digest here.

To sum it up, the eC3 is just as practical, stylish, spacious and comfortable as the petrol C3. But if you’re looking for EV thrills, look elsewhere.

For a better idea of what it’s like in the real world and how realistic that 320km claimed range figure is, watch this space and follow us on YouTube and Instagram as well. Prices are likely to start at just under Rs 10 lakh ex-showroom and you can expect the Citroen eC3’s launch in February 2023.