Citroen teased the eC3 electric car ahead of its launch in 2023.

The C3 hatchback, the French automaker's entry-level model, was recently introduced by Stellantis-owned Citroen in an effort to increase its market share in India. The brand, however, has announced that it will soon debut its newest and the country's first electric vehicle, an electric version of the C3 hatchback. The name of this upcoming electric vehicle (EV) was kept a secret until recently, but the company has since shared a teaser on its social media channels that reveals the name of this EV as the eC3.

Carlos Tavares, the global CEO of Stellantis, recently stated that the all-electric eC3 "will be released early next year." This EV is anticipated to debut in January 2023, immediately after the Auto Expo.

Although there have been no official price announcements for this new EV as of yet, it is anticipated that it will cost somewhere between Rs 10 and Rs 12 lakh. Once introduced, it might compete with the Tata EV siblings Tiago EV and Nex0n EV.

The Citroen eC3's electric drivetrain could be made up of a 30.2 kWh battery that would power a single electric motor. It will reportedly generate 84 BHP and 143 Nm of torque. Compared to the Tiago EV, which can travel more than 315 kilometers on a single charge, the eC3's battery pack is designed to offer a marginally longer range.

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The only part of the all-electric Citroen eC3 that was camouflaged when it was spotted testing on Indian roads a few weeks ago was the front wing. The front fender of the Citroen eC3 EV is where the charging port is anticipated to be. The Citroen C3 EV will likely retain the look and posture of the gasoline-powered C3, including elements like the halogen headlights with split LED daytime running lights, color-coded exterior trim, and high ground clearance, aside from this minor change.

Carlos Tavares recently addressed the media at a gathering in Chennai earlier in November, which is related to Citroen. When questioned about the company's plans for electric vehicles in India, he responded that Stellantis is working diligently to develop a pricing structure that would make EVs affordable as well as other quality standards, and that depending on how quickly the company can achieve those goals, the company may also start exporting such EVs from India.

The biggest challenge, according to Tavares, is how to make EVs affordable for the middle class. Only when they are affordable can they be produced in large quantities, and only then can they have a significant environmental impact.

He added, "There is a big opportunity for India to be able to sell EV compact cars at an affordable price protecting the profitability," when speaking about the export side of things for this upcoming model. Exports to Europe are feasible because the nation's supplier base is so cost-competitive.

 "We will be able to export," he continued, "if within the next 12 months we achieve the quality numbers and the cost numbers. Southeast Asia is one of the obvious areas of focus."