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• Citroën's new electric car to be called the C4
• New C4 to be unveiled on 30 June 2020
• Petrol and diesel engines to remain a part of the line-up
Come June 30, Citroën will unveil its new 2021 e-C4. This model will replace the C4 Cactus in Citroën's range and is expected to reach European showrooms before year-end.
According to Carscoops, the e-C4 will commonly be known as C4 and will boast a longer wheelbase than the car preceding it. Given its size, it will slot in above Peugeot's 2008 and 208, and the Citroën DS3 Crossback.
The superior size of the car means that it offers greater rear legroom and a larger loading bay.
The electric powertrain is not the only one that'll be on offer. Citroën will, according to the source, also fit the new C4 with petrol and diesel engines. In this regard, it is fair to assume that, at least for the petrol, Citroën's three-cylinder engine will feature.
Carscoops says that the dashboard will be similar to that of the latest 2008. The infotainment screen will take centre stage, with digital readouts in front of the driver.
Read the original article here.
Would you purchase an electric Citroën in South Africa? Email us with your reasons.
Will it work in SA?
If Citroën is to bring its new electric C4 to South Africa, an important aspect to consider will be the price. As it stands, our market only has four electric cars: Porsche's all-new Taycan, Jaguar I-Pace, and BMW’s i3 and i8, with production on the latter poised for imminent ceasing.
The i3, which is the most affordable electric car in SA, has a starting price of R721 700 - putting it way above what the average South African can afford. With more electric vehicles from Audi and Mercedes on the way, it is likely that the i3 will retain its tag as SA's most affordable electric car. Nissan is said to bring its new Leaf to market sometime in 2020, which could see it undercut the i3 as the entry-point to electric mobility in our country.
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Why are we mentioning this? The C4, if it does come to SA, will probably be the most expensive Citroën available locally, putting it above the C5 AirCross 1.6T Shine at R524 900. It is unlikely that it will rival the i3 on price, but it could carry a sticker price of between R600 000 - R700 000. Fueling the fire that the car is unlikely to arrive locally, is the fact that our infrastructure is not on par with what Europe, America and the UAE has to offer. Electric mobility plays an integral part of our future, but South Africa still trails first-world countries in terms of supporting the next phase of mobility.
Given that Citroën sells relatively low numbers every month, it would not make business sense to bring a model to market, only for it to make up a very small percentage of annual sales figures. Keeping the new C4 on showroom floors until its sold, could cost more than the profit the automaker would make off it.
It's a sad reality for Citroën, but a reality we can't ignore.
