Citroen Unveils Retro Electric 2 CV Concept at Paris Motor Show, Targeting 2028 Launch Near $15,000

To reach that price, Citroen is developing an all-new electric car platform that it hopes several small models will eventually use, reducing production costs and allowing savings to be passed to consumers, TechRadar reported. There is no word on what will power the electric 2 CV. TechRadar said it could be in a similar battery ballpark to Renault's latest Twingo, which uses a 28kWh LFP pack for a 157-mile range. Chardon said engineers are working to cut weight from its current electric cars, with a goal of a 2 CV that weighs "less than a tonne." That would make it lighter than any electric car currently on sale, according to the report, and could drastically increase its range.

The modern 2 CV is shorter than its predecessor at just 3.76m in length, bucking the trend of growing vehicle footprints. The concept includes design features meant to make the interior look and feel larger. There is no traditional dashboard, and the front and rear seats look more like a garden bench than vehicle seats, TechRadar reported. A removable wicker storage basket sits at the front. Instead of a bulky infotainment setup, Citroen designers chose an 8-inch square "phygital" touchscreen that looks like an ereader and features graphics inspired by comic books.

The concept also has a simple gear-shift lever that almost floats on a large cylinder mounted to the steering wheel, plus an old-school detachable radio in front of the front passenger that doubles as a Bluetooth speaker for picnics. TechRadar noted easter eggs and nods to the original, including pedals marked with a rabbit or hare and a tortoise to distinguish accelerator from brake, door-storage compartments designed to hold eggs, and a digital horn sound copied from the original 2 CV. An enormous fabric sunroof practically turns the 2 CV into a convertible, while solid metal bumpers at the front and rear are designed to protect against Parisian "touch parking."

Citroen says the concept is close to production in terms of design, according to TechRadar, and is also considering a small commercial vehicle variant, illustrated by the 2 CV Fourgonnette concept that accompanied the reveal. The 2 CV revival follows Renault's recent resurrection of the Renault 5 and Renault 4, as European brands lean on heritage to compete with Chinese rivals. TechRadar said that after initially judging the concept from press images as too much of a novelty, it changed its view upon seeing it in person, describing it as cute, practical, and simple inside, unmistakably a 2 CV with hints of the original Volkswagen Beetle and Renault's recent Twingo. Only time will tell whether it will be as successful as the Renault 5 reboot, TechRadar said, but the price is competitive and heritage is something Chinese rivals cannot easily mimic.