Citroën Is Bringing Back The 2CV Because EVs Got Too Expensive

The reborn icon will be fully electric, made in Europe, and priced below $17,500.

Photo by: Stellantis

Andrei Nedelea

By: Andrei Nedelea

May 22, at 7:01am ET

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Citroën is reviving the 2CV as a small, European-built EV priced below $17,500.
The new 2CV is aimed at making EVs affordable again, not chasing range or luxury.
It could undercut the Renault Twingo EV and Dacia’s upcoming budget electric car.

Citroën wants its upcoming cheap city EV to be a modern reinterpretation of the classic 2CV after previously denying it. In keeping with its predecessor, the cheap car that got France motoring after the Second World War, the new model promises to be very affordable, with a starting price under €15,000, or around $17,500.

This is before any incentives are applied, which in many European countries can shave thousands off the list price. Furthermore, Citroën says it will make the new 2CV this cheap while making it in Europe. Citroën needs to build it locally so that the new model falls into the European Union’s new M1E class of cars, which is basically the EU’s equivalent to the ‘kei car’ category in Japan.

It limits the vehicle's total length to 165 inches (4.2 meters), but it doesn’t set a width limit, unlike kei cars. M1E vehicles are still technically cars, so while they may have fewer safety features than a full-size car, they still need to meet crash and safety standards and include airbags, traction control, and some advanced driver aids.

Citroën already sells the ë-C3, which is built in Europe and is less than 165 inches long. However, with a starting price of €23,000 ($26,700), it is much more expensive than what Citroën intends to sell the new 2CV for.

According to Citroën CEO Xavier Chardon, "Icons create emotion. Icons reconnect brands with people, and today one icon is about to return. Yes, the 2CV is back,” adding that it will “democratize electric mobility."

The new 2CV will roll out of the Stellantis factory in Pomigliano d’Arco in Italy, where the Fiat Panda is currently assembled, and it’s also getting a Fiat-badged sister model, which will look completely different. The Citroën looks surprisingly sporty in the dark teaser shot, with flared rear wheel arches and an unexpectedly aggressive stance for something with such a large, rounded greenhouse and quirky proportions.

Photo by: Citroën

Its main direct rival will be the new Renault Twingo, which is a bit more expensive, starting at just under €20,000 ($23,200). Dacia is making its own EV based on the Twingo’s underpinnings, and that should come in even cheaper, at around €18,000 ($20,900), but it still won’t match the super-low price that Citroën is aiming for with the 2CV.

The news that Citroen was reviving the 2CV was met with applause from media present at the investor presentation, where it was announced, according to AutoExpress. The reaction is partly because the 2CV is such an icon that people can’t wait to see it revived, but it’s also the promise of bringing it to market at a super-affordable price that will make EV ownership possible for many more people.

The car will likely feel built to a price, and it will forgo some features in the base trim to keep it under the target price. Its battery won’t be much bigger than 20 kilowatt-hours and likely have an LFP chemistry, it will have a lot less than 100 horsepower, and could even feature crank-down windows like the Slate truck just to keep it cheap.

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It’s not out of the question for the 2CV to feature Chinese technology and know-how. Stellantis has already confirmed its first model built on a Chinese platform using Chinese batteries, the upcoming Opel electric crossover with Leapmotor tech, so it could very well use its connection to help keep the 2CV cheap.

The reborn 2CV will arrive sometime in 2028, but we will reportedly get our first glance at the model at the Paris motor show in October. Citroen may present a close-to-production concept that will still undergo some changes before becoming the production 2CV EV.

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