PARIS — Citroën revealed an all-electric concept inspired by its legendary 2CV on Sunday, signaling plans to release an affordable production model in Europe by 2028 with an intended base price of around €15,000.
Parent company Stellantis debuted the vehicle alongside five other brand concepts during “The Night Before,” an advance showcase at the Hangar Y venue in Paris ahead of the Paris Motor Show, The Manila Times reported. The public exhibition runs Oct. 12 through Oct. 18.
Retro Design Meets Modern Simplicity
The concept resurrects the silhouette of the historic French economy car while replacing internal combustion with battery power, according to InsideEVs. Measuring 3.76 meters (148 inches) long, the vehicle is slightly shorter than the original 2CV and approximately an inch shorter than the newly introduced Renault Twingo E-Tech. Within Citroën’s lineup, the model is designed to slot between the pint-sized Ami and the C3.
Styling elements draw heavily on heritage cues. Designers included detached round headlight pods, pronounced fenders, an upright windshield, and a curved roofline, InsideEVs noted. The hood contours reference the TPV prototype project that preceded the original postwar model. The concept also features exposed wipers, modern LED taillights, and 19-inch steel wheels, though wheel dimensions are expected to decrease for production.
Citroën stripped down the interior to enhance cabin space, replacing a traditional dashboard with a cylindrical steering column assembly that incorporates driver controls and a “Smart Vision Display,” InsideEVs reported. The cabin also includes an eight-inch touchscreen with comic-inspired graphics, a folding fabric roof, removable storage baskets, and door pockets specifically measured to hold eggs — a playful tribute to the original 1940s design brief.
Pushing for Lightweight Affordability
Citroën is targeting a curb weight of approximately 1,000 kilograms (2,205 pounds), which would allow engineers to use a smaller, less expensive battery pack to restrain retail costs, InsideEVs reported. Citroën has not yet disclosed battery capacity, driving range, charging capability, or horsepower figures.
At an estimated €15,000, the production vehicle would undercut the Renault Twingo E-Tech by about €4,500 based on French launch pricing, according to InsideEVs. However, it remains unconfirmed whether that projected price includes government incentives, such as France’s electric car subsidies of up to €5,700.
To help deliver the vehicle at that price point, Citroën is leveraging proposed European Union regulatory changes, InsideEVs reported. The model is planned around the European Commission’s proposed M1E vehicle category for electric cars up to 4.2 meters in length, which seeks to lock in technical rules for a decade to lower manufacturing overhead for entry-level electric cars.
Stellantis Showcases Broader Vision
The 2CV was one of six concept vehicles Stellantis unveiled across its European portfolio Sunday evening, including show cars for Alfa Romeo, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Opel, and Peugeot, The Manila Times reported.
Stellantis Chief Executive Officer Antonio Filosa said the debuts reflect the company’s FaSTLAne 2030 strategic plan. Emanuele Cappellano, Stellantis chief operating officer for Enlarged Europe, noted that the automotive group plans to launch more than 50 products by 2030 to expand European market coverage by 25 percent.
Gilles Vidal, head of design for Enlarged Europe at Stellantis, told attendees that the company aims to combine emotional styling with functional utility, describing Citroën’s concept as an accessible electric vehicle designed to return freedom and simplicity to personal mobility.
Citroën has not yet announced specific production plant locations or exact market rollout dates beyond the 2028 production target.
