The C3 and C5 Aircross are the only two products that Citroen currently offers in India. The former is more reasonably priced than the latter and contributes some volume to the OEM. While the C5 Aircross is only offered with a diesel engine, the C3 is available with two different petrol engines, each with a working volume of 1.0L. The Citroen C3 will officially go on sale at the beginning of next year owing to the company’s work on an electric version of the vehicle.
The C3 electric test mule has been seen multiple times by this point. In fact, the vehicle has been seen charging at a Tata Power station. Once it is released, the Citroen C3 electric will compete with vehicles like the Tata Tiago EV and others. Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, has shared information about the impending Citroen C3 launch schedule. When asked about the company’s intentions for electric vehicles in India, he stated without providing any information that Stellantis intends to deliver the electric version of its compact car C3 early next year.
But he added that Stellantis is working hard to achieve a cost structure that would make EVs inexpensive as well as other quality standards, and depending on how quickly it can meet those goals, the company may start exporting such EVs from India.
“If within the next 12 months, we achieve the quality numbers and the cost numbers, then we will be able to export. One of the obvious targets is Southeast Asia,” he said. Tavares added that it might be something that Europe tests in the future.
“So far Europe is unable to make affordable EVs. So the big opportunity for India would be to be able to sell EV compact cars at an affordable price protecting the profitability… This is what we are working on but it is not decided… This is what we are trying to do,” he stated.
