Citroen eC3

The Citroen eC3 is one of the most affordable EVs in the Indian market and it focuses on providing you enough range for regular city commutes with a comfortable ride quality packaged in a compact size. But, beyond its drivability, it's pretty basic.

I’ve driven the eC3 for a few months and I've spent considerable time with its rivals like the Tata Punch as well. After experiencing this small electric hatchback in different conditions, I’ve realised what its strong points are, and who it is made for.

The eC3 looks very basic and there is nothing that stands out or catches too much attention. But, at the same time, the design does not split opinion, and while it is simple, it's also likeable.

At the front, you get the Citroen logo which extends to the edges and merges seamlessly into the LED DRLs. Between these DRLs, you get halogen headlamps, and the fog lamps are placed lower on the bumper. The bumper itself is pretty chunky, which gives this hatchback a little SUV-ish look.

The profile has a no-nonsense look with a flat design, little cuts and creases, and chunky cladding. It gets flap type door handles which are rare these days and under the ORVMs you’ll spot a tiny ‘ev’ badging. It sits on 15-inch alloy wheels. Lower variants get 15-inch steel wheels.

While the charging flap is placed on the front right fender, you’ll also spot a flap on the rear left fender which does not open. This is not a design choice, instead, Citroen has used the same parts that are used in the ICE C3, which gets its petrol tank flat on the rear left fender.

The rear profile is just as basic as the front and side. You get large LED tail lamps with a wrap around design, a flat boot lip, and a massive bumper.

Citroen offers it with 4 monotone shades and 7 dual-tone ones. Here is a list of all the colour options available:

In addition to these shades, Citroen also offers the option to customize the eC3 with different coloured inserts around the fog lamps, on the door cladding, and around rear reflectors. These inserts can be had in 6 shades: Polar White, Zesty Orange, Platinum Grey, Cosmo Blue, and Chrome.

Design & Quality

The eC3 is a compact car but it is tall enough to allow easy ingress and egress. Getting in and out does not require too much effort and it will be appreciated by the elderly in your family.  

Inside, it gets an all-black cabin theme with grey elements on the seats and dashboard, along with orange stitching. Elements like dotted patterns on the dashboard, design of the vents, and contrast color door pockets makes this cabin look trendy.

However, when it comes to cabin quality, you’ll be left wanting for more. The materials used inside the cabin could have been better, and the creases on some areas could have been more uniform. The plastic also feels a little light and cheap, and some padding on the door armrest would have been appreciated.

Front Seats

In the base variant, you neither get a height adjustable driver seat nor a tilt adjustable steering wheel. This makes it difficult to find your ideal driving position. However, both these features are available from the one-above-base trim.

The seats are finished in fabric and have balanced cushioning, which makes them usable for both long and short journeys. There is a good amount of headroom and the seats hold you in place. But they are not wide enough to offer good space for large people, and the underthigh support could have been better. 

On the positive side, the eC3's seating position is high which gives you good overall visibility and hence confidence while driving which makes it easier to handle in tight traffic situations to even the newer drivers.

Rear Seats

The eC3 offers a good space for two people at the rear. The headroom and legroom are also enough for an average Indian height, and the person wouldn’t feel confined inside the cabin as the ample glass makes the cabin feel airy. 

The backrest angle is relaxed, and the cushioning is supple, making city trips pleasant. However, the lack of adjustable headrest and armrest is not justified. Overall, the comfort levels are satisfactory; nevertheless, Citroen could have improved them by not sacrificing on these minor details.

In terms of visibility, you get large windows which offer good outside visibility, and the small front headrests do not obstruct your view a lot.

Storage Options

When it comes to practicality, all door pockets can accommodate 1-litre water bottles, the center console has cup holders, a deep open storage behind them to keep wallet and other stuff, and a shelf just below the AC controls which can be used for keeping a phone. There’s also a little space under the handbrake, and behind it you get another bottle holder. The glovebox size is adequate for a few knick knacks, but it is not cooled.

Since there is no centre armrest in the back, the rear passengers do not get any cupholders. But, both rear passengers get seat back pockets.

Charging Options

The eC3’s cabin is equipped with three USB charging ports, one at the front and two at the back. There’s also a 12V power socket for front passengers. Although, there’s no option for wireless charging and type-C port which could have been there at this price point.

Overall, the eC3’s cabin does a pretty good job of offering good space and practicality, and it does that while also offering a nice look. However, the cabin’s quality could have been improved, and that would have made it much more appealing.

Features

The feature list of the eC3 is pretty basic, and you might feel that it does not justify the hefty price tag.

Apart from these features, it also gets a 10.2-inch touchscreen infotainment system. This screen is easy to use, has large icons, and supports wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. While the response time isn’t the quickest, it does not show any lag or any glitches.

The eC3 does not get automatic AC, and in my use case, the manual AC proved to be too powerful even when the knob was positioned towards the warmer settings. Good thing if you live in really hot areas, but can get annoying in certain instances.

Citroen should have added rear AC vents, cruise control, and automatic climate control. Its primary rival, the Tata Punch EV, gets features like a digital driver’s display, an electric sunroof, an auto dimming IRMV, and a wireless phone charger.

On the safety front, it gets dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, rear parking sensors, and seatbelt reminders as standard. Higher variants additionally get a rear wiper and a rear view camera.

The rearview camera’s quality is good enough for everyday use. It is not the brightest and can be grainy in low light conditions. But there is no lag or frame drop.

However, when it comes to safety ratings, the eC3 disappoints as it got a 0-star rating in Global NCAP’s crash test.

The eC3 offers a boot space of 315 litres, which is enough to keep 4 cabin sized suitcases. Due to the shape of this boot, fitting a large suitcase is not easy, and if you manage to fit one, you won’t have much space left for other bags.

The rear seats can also be folded down for extra room, but there is no 60:40 split. What adds to convenience is the flat boot floor which helps in easy accommodation of big suitcases inside. 

Citroen also offers a full-size spare wheel with the eC3 without compromising on the numbers.

The eC3 comes with a 29.2 kWh battery pack which is paired with a single electric motor. This setup offers a claimed range of 246 km (MIDC Part 1 + 2). In our rear world test, the eC3 gave us a range of 232 km, which is enough for a week worth of city commutes.

City Performance

Starting the electric C3 is like starting an ICE engine, you insert and rotate the key to bring it to life. At least, the top-end variant of the eC3 should have been equipped with push button start/stop feature. It gets a drive selector to shift between drive, reverse and neutral, and the process feels quite slow. It takes time to shift from drive to reverse and vice versa, hence making quick U-turns in city traffic quite difficult. Also, on the inclines, the use of handbrake is necessary to compensate for the absence of hill hold assist.

The stated 143Nm torque is available right from the start and this feels surprisingly alive to drive. The pedal response is quick, especially between 20-50kmph or 30-60kmph which makes overtaking a breeze and going into gaps effortless. So it’s definitely a quick car for doing city commutes.

Highway Performance

Despite feeling quick in the city, the eC3 feels slow on the highways. It is fine for regular usage, but you do get quick acceleration till 60 kmph, but beyond that it takes another 10 seconds to reach 100kmph. And this is why it feels less active to drive on highways. Not to mention, the top speed is capped at 108kmph which will limit its use on expressways. 

The eC3 can be driven in two driving modes – Normal and Eco – which can be shifted with a press of a button. Again, changing the drive modes requires you to take off your foot from the accelerator pedal, which feels unnecessary. The Eco mode continues to offer good drivability but dulls down throttle response to prevent quick discharge of the battery. The Normal mode will only be required when you are in a hurry, or are on a highway.

Ride Comfort

The eC3’s suspension system easily soaks undulations in the city. Speed breakers and potholes are dealt with in comfort but it does pick up the odd bump and make you feel it. You will also feel some side to side motion over really deep potholes. At higher speeds, the stability keeps you confident.

It is not as comfortable as the standard C3, but it still manages to do a good job, and you won’t complain about its ride quality.

Handling

The eC3 is easy to maneuver in the city with its compact size and light steering wheel, and even on the highways, it feels planted on straights. However, during sudden lane changes, you do feel certain side to side movement, which will startle the passengers.

The eC3 is offered in 3 variants: Live, Feel, and Shine. All variants come with the same battery pack and motor setup.

Live

• The base variant comes with halogen headlamps, fender mounted turn indicators, and 15-inch steel wheels with wheel covers.

• Inside, it gets an all-black cabin theme, fabric seats, and front and rear fixed headrests.

• Feature package includes manual AC, manually adjustable ORVMs, and front power windows.

• On the safety front, it gets dual front airbags, ABS with EBD, and rear parking sensors.

Feel

• Gets LED DRLs, roof rails, wheel arch cladding, and dual-tone colour options.

• Cabin gets patterned finish on the dashboard, chrome inside door handles, and a height adjustable driver seat.

• Additional features include a 10.25-inch touchscreen, 4 speakers, wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, all power windows, keyless entry, and a tilt adjustable steering wheel.

• Safety kit gets a day/night inside rear view mirror.

Shine

• Gets skid plates on the front and back along with 15-inch alloy wheels.

• Cabin gets a leather wrapped steering wheel.

• The only major feature addition is a rearview camera.

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• The mid-spec Feel variant is the most value for money as it covers all departments and offers you a holistic package. But the Shine variant only for a better looking design.

As a standalone product, the eC3’s package feels good enough for someone who wants a small car for regular city commutes. It offers ease of driving, a comfortable ride, good space for four passengers and basic features to get by.

But, it feels overpriced for what it offers, and the rivals do come with better features and richer experience. For someone who only wants a car to go from point A to point B, the eC3 is a good enough car. But if you need anything more, there are other options.

Other Options To Consider

Tata Punch EV

Reasons To Consider

• Much better feature list

• Looks and feels more premium

• Better highway performance

• Option of two batter packs offering more range

Reasons To Ignore

• More expensive top-spec variant

MG Comet EV

Reasons To Consider

• More affordable

• Similar features

• Easy to drive in the city

Reasons To Ignore

• Quirky design might not appeal to everyone

• Less range

• Less rear seat space

• Not nearly as comfortable