Citroen 2CV electric car targets £13,000 price for 2028

Citroen is bringing back the 2CV as a small electric car, and the Citroen 2CV electric car is due by 2028 with a target starting price of around €15,000. The RAC converts that to about £13,000 at current exchange rates. The company has not confirmed a final price, and none of the reports we have seen gives a UK price.

The car was previewed by the 2CV Concept, shown at the Paris Motor Show. This piece sets out what has been said, who could gain, and what a UK buyer can sensibly do while the details are still thin.

The change in plain English

Citroen has shown a concept car that previews a production electric 2CV. According to the RAC, Citroen has confirmed a new model inspired by the concept will be built in Europe and go on sale by 2028. The concept is 3,760mm long, which the RAC says is about 70mm shorter than the original 2CV and about 130mm longer than the Fiat 500e.

Citroen says the production car will slot between the tiny Ami and the e-C3 supermini. The Independent reports that the company wants to keep the weight to around a tonne, because a lighter car needs a smaller, cheaper battery. The same report says the car has been designed for easy, cheap repairs, with bumpers that are separate from the bodywork and can be replaced on their own.

Citroen chief executive Xavier Chardon said: “Reinventing the 2 CV isn’t about replicating a car from the past; it’s about reinventing what made it unique: its simplicity, its accessibility and the freedom it offered.”

Who gains from cheaper EVs under £15,000

At about £13,000, the RAC says the 2CV would sit alongside the Dacia Spring as one of the cheapest electric cars on sale. The Independent describes the price target as one that would make it among the most affordable electric cars on the UK market.

The sources point to how the price might be reached. The RAC says the production car will be built in Europe and sit in the new ‘M1E’ (or E-Car) class. That class gives higher credits against emissions targets for smaller, cheaper models with fewer safety regulations. The RAC says it is similar in theory to Japan’s Kei Car rules, but adds that details are yet to be confirmed.

It is not yet clear who might pay more. The Independent says the car could benefit from proposed ‘Made in Europe’ incentives, but those are proposals. None of the sources says whether the car will be sold in the UK or in right-hand drive, so UK buyers should treat availability as unconfirmed.

A worked example: what £13,000 means against a £15,000 budget

The price has been given in euros, so the sterling figure will move with the exchange rate. The sources do not agree on the conversion: The Independent’s news bulletin puts €15,000 at around £12,700, while the RAC and The Independent’s longer report say about £13,000. The table sets the figures side by side.

The last column is our own arithmetic, not a figure from the sources. It shows the room a buyer with £15,000 to spend would have for any costs on top of the headline price. If sterling weakened so that the car cost 5% more in pounds, a £13,000 car would become £13,650, which would still be under £15,000 but would cut that room to £1,350. Any UK price will also depend on whether Citroen sells the car here, which the sources do not say.

What to do now

First, treat €15,000 as a target rather than a promise. The RAC says Citroen is yet to officially confirm the price, and a concept car often changes before it reaches showrooms. Do not put down a deposit on anything based on current figures.

Second, if you are shopping for an electric car before 2028, compare it with what is available now. The RAC names the Dacia Spring as the closest price comparison, and the Renault 5 E-Tech as a larger car. Work out what you need from a car, such as daily mileage and whether you can charge at home, before deciding whether to wait.

Third, watch for details that are still missing: battery size, range, UK availability and the final specification. Cars UK suggests the battery will probably be under 30 kWh, but that is the publication’s expectation, not a Citroen figure. Citroen has not published a range.

Your questions answered

When will the electric 2CV go on sale?

The RAC says Citroen has confirmed a production model will go on sale by 2028. The Independent says 2028 is likely to be when it reaches showrooms, which would also be the 80th anniversary of the original’s 1948 debut. The sources do not give a month.

How much will it cost in the UK?

There is no UK price yet. Citroen is targeting a starting price of around €15,000, which the RAC and The Independent put at about £13,000. The Independent’s bulletin uses a lower figure of around £12,700, and Cars UK describes the car as sub-£13k.

Is the concept what will be built?

Not exactly. The concept shows design ideas such as the round headlamps, fabric roof, removable bench seats and a detachable radio that doubles as a speaker. The RAC says no details of what powers the concept have been revealed, though the production version will be fully electric. Which of the concept’s features reach the showroom car has not been confirmed.