Automaker company Stellantis is gearing up to debut an affordable all-electric hatchback in the latter half of the year, looking to deflect the advent of competition from China. With nearly 14 flagship brands under its umbrella including Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Maserati, and Citroën, Stellantis’ affordable EV 2024 is a low-cost electric car – sub-$27000.
The future affordable EV from Stellantis will be leveraging its Citroën brand’s expertise in making inexpensive cars. Presumably, the size of Stellantis’ low-cost electric car will resemble the soon-to-be-pulled-back Chevrolet Bolt EV.
“Citroën has a history of making affordable cars. It will now be taking up the role of making electric mobility accessible to all. There is no equivalent to Stellantis’ affordable EV today.”
The upcoming affordable EV will be predisposed with the moniker e-C3, expected to slot between Opel Astra and Dacia Spring. Stellantis’ first electric pickup, the RAM 1500 REV is also scheduled for release in 2025 in the US.
Stellantis Affordable EV 2024: Range And Price
Girding up to be built under Citroën’s brand at the Stellantis factory in Slovakia, the 104-year-old car manufacturer has been aiming to own 5 percent of Europe’s auto industry. The goal seems attainable in the near future, as Stellantis accounts for 3.7 percent of the market already.
In March 2023, the Amsterdam-based automaker unveiled its agendum for launching a mix of small electric cars that will bear a price tag of around $27,000, which undercuts its European rivals substantially. Another intriguing aspect of Stellantis’ upcoming electric car is that on a full charge, the affordable EV boasts of a 186 miles range.
(Image Courtesy – Stellantis)
While not many tangible technical details have been disclosed, Stellantis’ sub-$27,000 EV, the new e-C3 is expected to be 4 meters long (157 inches) and will be fully equipped as standard – with air conditioning and electric windows.
Stellantis sub-$27,000 EV
In a bid to maintain the low costs of the EV, streamline production processes, and swell profit margins, Citroën’s CEO stated that Stellantis’ affordable zero-emissions hatchback will be presented in three trim levels, with each bearing a maximum of five options.
Furthermore, Stellantis’ affordable EV will allegedly be based on a ‘BEV-native’ platform. Auto analysts believe that this information is linked to C3’s 2022 debut in India and South America, which also underpins the Open Corsa and Jeep Avenger.
(Image Courtesy – Stellantis)
Stellantis’ low-cost electric car will be facing tough competition with the next-gen Renault 5 and Volkswagen’s planned affordable electric hatchback.
There is a palpable urgency in Europe for producing affordable EVs as Chinese models are gaining steam over the auto market in the region. In the first quarter, Chinese EV imports tripled in Germany, trumping the auto industry powerhouse of Europe. Surging from 7.8 percent in the previous year, all of the 28 percent of EVs imported into Germany between January and March, arrived from China.