The electric version of the forthcoming C3 crossover is projected to be the first EV vehicle
The Stellantis automotive company recently announced its aspirations for India as part of its Dare Forward 2030 worldwide strategy. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares announced on the occasion that the company’s first electric vehicle for India will arrive in 2023. In India, Citroen will take the lead on electrification at Stellantis, with Jeep following later.
“Electrification has always been a feature of the Smart Car or C Cube designs. In 2023, India will receive its first electric vehicle. “The vehicle was designed for the Indian market,” Tavares remarked. The new EV will be based on the group’s tiny CMP platform, which will also be used by the next Citroen C3, and will most likely be a sub-four-meter vehicle with SUV flair.
The Citroen EV for India is expected to have a battery large enough to provide a stated certified range of roughly 450 kilometres. The available features and comforts are projected to be comparable to the future C3. Over the next two years, the C3’s modular architecture is planned to provide a compact crossover or SUV type, as well as a 7-seater MPV. There will be an electric version of each of these vehicles. According to Tavares, the largest issue is increasing local content on EV cars. While all India-specific models have a minimum of 90% localization incorporated into their development strategy, the electrics are still a long way off. Stellantis claims that it now lacks the necessary supplier base to reach such high levels of localization for electric vehicles, but that this will change soon.
Since 2015, Stellantis has spent over 1 billion euros in India, including different Citroen and Jeep factories. It plans to use India as a supplier base that meets international quality requirements. Tata currently dominates the Indian mass-market EV industry with vehicles costing under Rs 20 lakh. The Nexon EV Max, which has a stated range of 437 kilometres, was the company’s most recent launch. Other luxury electric small SUV manufacturers, like Hyundai and MG, have models priced north of Rs 20 lakh with a stated range of over 450 km.
Also Read: The New Citroen C3 For India Revealed
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