Citroen eC3 midsize electric SUV is expected to launch late next year and will be based on the same platform as its ICE sibling
Expected to debut before the closure of 2024, Citroen India will more likely introduce the eC3 Aircross as a competitor to a whole new range of midsize electric SUVs coming our way over the next two years from manufacturers like Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai, Tata, Mahindra and Toyota. The eC3 represents an electrified rendition of the recently unveiled C3 Aircross.
It will leverage a shared modular platform capable of accommodating both IC-engined and zero-emission technologies. It will help expand the French auto major’s domestic portfolio and will become the second all-electric offering as the eC3 has been on sale for sometime already. The compact electric hatchback competes with Tata Tiago EV and MG Comet EV.
The Citroen eC3 was launched in February 2023 and it has a claimed driving range of 320 km on a single charge and is heavily based on its ICE sibling. In a similar fashion, the eC3 Aircross will have several commonalities with the ICE C3 Aircross midsize SUV, which is available in two seating configurations. The electric SUV could get similar seating layouts but it all depends on the battery packaging.
The eC3, priced at Rs. 11.61 lakh to Rs. 12.99 lakh (ex-showroom), is equipped with a 29.2 kWh battery pack and an electric motor capable of producing 57 horsepower. We can expect its bigger sibling to adopt a larger battery pack and a higher capacity e-motor enabling longer range capabilities. The brand has competitively priced its models in India so far at the expense of discarding some essential features.
The strategy has indeed worked and since the eC3 Aircross could share the equipment list with the ICE C3 Aircross, it might miss out on them but carrying an aggressive price tag will apparently lure in buyers. Nothing has been confirmed at the moment though and it will likely be one of the four launches expected from Citroen in 2024.
Expect the starting price to be around Rs. 14 lakh and it may go up to Rs. 18 lakh (ex-showroom). We hope to know more about the upcoming e-SUV when we get closer to its market launch. It is worth noting that the C3X crossover sedan has been caught testing several times on Indian roads and it could be part of the new model launches in 2024.