Citroën ë-C3 Urban Range driving report: Drives familiar, charges limited
With the ë-C3 Urban Range, Citroën is expanding its electric range with a variant whose name says it all and is tailored to everyday urban life and the surrounding countryside. The concept behind it is quickly explained: smaller battery, lower price, familiar format. The aim is to make electric mobility accessible to buyers who do not have a large budget and usually drive short to medium distances in everyday life. The new variant starts at 20,140 euros in Germany as a You and 23,450 euros as a Plus.
Technically, much remains the same. The familiar electric motor with 83 kW (113 hp) remains on board, so that there is hardly any perceived disadvantage compared to the larger battery version when setting off, threading in and keeping up in city traffic. The drive responds spontaneously, the car moves smoothly and feels sufficiently present. The ë-C3 Urban Range also remains easy to assess on country roads and shorter overland stretches. It drives smoothly, rolls quietly and is easy to maneuver with its compact format. The suspension tuning is still trimmed for comfort. At the same time, the top speed of 125 km/h shows quite clearly where the focus of use is: not on long freeway stretches, but within a manageable range of movement.
The decisive difference lies in the battery. Instead of the 44 kWh battery in the standard Range version, the Urban Range uses around 30 kWh gross or 29.3 kWh net. The range is therefore a good 200 kilometers according to WLTP. This is sufficient for many typical journeys, such as commuting, shopping trips or visits to the local area, but for more flexible driving profiles, this variant automatically increases the importance of charging breaks and planning.
And there's another little quibble. Citroën is not only reducing the battery capacity, but also the charging options. A single-phase 7.4 kW on-board charger is fitted as standard. This may sound useful at first, but in Germany this solution quickly reaches its practical limits in everyday use, as many private 11 kW wall boxes effectively only provide 3.7 kW in single-phase mode. This significantly increases charging times. A three-phase 11 kW onboard charger is available, but costs 400 euros extra. The DC fast charger is also optional, for which Citroën charges a further 500 euros. This puts the low entry-level price into perspective, because functions that are part of the everyday equipment of an electric car are not on board as standard.
In addition, the charging capacity itself remains manageable. A maximum of 30 kW (standard range 100 kW) is possible with the DC charger. Citroën still only calculates around 36 minutes for the charging stroke from 20 to 80 percent under ideal conditions. This is rather long for a vehicle with a small battery. The Urban Range therefore makes the most sense if it is primarily used in places where its range and charging characteristics are well suited to the usage profile. This is not a fundamental weakness, but a clear framework condition.
The situation is similar with the equipment. The Urban Range version is only available as You and Plus. Although the basis is not a naked car, it is visibly trimmed for simplification. In the You version, for example, there is no central screen; instead, the smartphone takes over some of the infotainment tasks. One positive aspect is that the utility value has not changed. The Citroën ë-C3 Urban Range is still a fully-fledged five-seater that offers a decent feeling of space for its class and remains an uncomplicated car in everyday use. The bottom line, however, is that it is not an affordable all-rounder, but an affordable specialist for people with a predictable driving profile and the easiest possible charging options. (aum)
Data Citroën e-C3 Urban Range
Length x width x height (m): 4.02 x 1.81 x 1.58
Wheelbase (m): 2.77
Drive: Electric, 83 kW (113 hp), front-wheel drive, single-automatic transmission
Max. Torque: 125 Nm
Top speed: 125 km/h
Acceleration 0 to 100 km/h: 12.0 sec.
WLTP average consumption: 16.5-17.2 kWh
Battery capacity, gross/net: 30.3/29.3 kWh
Range (WLTP): 205-215 km
Max. Charging power: 11 kW AC/ 30 kW DC
Unladen weight / payload: 1413 kg / 472 kg
Trunk volume: 310 liters
Towing capacity: n.a.
Price: from 20,140 euros
More info for topic: Citroën ë-C3 Urban Range
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