There is something rather defiant about reviving the Citroën 2CV as an electric car. At a time when new vehicles seem to become bigger, heavier and more complicated with each generation, Citroën is asking a wonderfully simple question: what if less car could actually be more?
Unveiled on 11 October 2026, the 2 CV Concept is more than an exercise in familiar headlights and cheerful colours. Citroën says it previews a small, European-built electric model planned for its range by 2028, with a European starting-price ambition of approximately €15,000. These are plans and targets — not a confirmed UK launch date or price.
A people's car for a very different era
The original 2CV debuted at the Paris Motor Show in 1948 and remained in production until 1990. Its appeal was not speed or luxury. It was useful space, practicality, distinctive design and a sense of freedom without an extravagant purchase price. For many people, that combination mattered far more than a specification-sheet contest.
That philosophy could be timely again. Electric cars have progressed enormously, yet their batteries can still be expensive and their size can place them beyond the budgets or needs of people who simply want a comfortable, sensible car for work, shopping and visiting family.
Citroën positions its new idea between the Ami and the C3. The concept measures 3.76 metres long, smaller than the original 2CV, and its designers are aiming for a weight of around one tonne. The thinking is straightforward: less weight can make a smaller battery and lower energy consumption practical — if engineers can deliver a useful car without sacrificing the things buyers need.
The weight figure is an engineering ambition, not a verified kerb weight for a production vehicle. Its production specification, equipment and safety certification remain to be announced.
All the charm, without the exhaust
Separate-looking round lamps, an arching roof, rounded wings and a remarkably friendly face make the inspiration obvious. But the design is more purposeful than the nostalgia might suggest. Citroën highlights flat surfaces and independently replaceable bumpers — details intended to make the car easier to build and repair.
The concept wears vivid Infra Red paint, 19-inch steel wheels that nod to the original and a roll-back fabric roof. Inside, things are delightfully eccentric: tartan-style yellow upholstery, a single-spoke steering wheel, a removable central basket, strap-like door pulls and a little detachable Radioën speaker.
A screen is present, but this isn't an interior designed around ever-growing displays. The brake pedal carries a tortoise and the accelerator a rabbit. It might sound frivolous, yet that touches on what made the original memorable: the car feels like it was designed with a sense of humour.
There is a caveat: this is a motor-show concept. The final car could lose or change some of these features before it reaches buyers.
The question MyEVRange really wants answered: how far?
Here's the important bit. Citroën has not released a confirmed battery capacity, official WLTP range, charging speed or motor output for the future production 2CV. Anyone presenting a precise figure as fact is getting ahead of the evidence.
We can, however, explain why a smaller battery might work. Energy use depends on the vehicle's weight and aerodynamics, speed, tyres, temperature, heating and driving style. On typical everyday journeys, a relatively light, efficient car may need less battery capacity than a large SUV to provide useful mobility.
What can a small EV battery actually do?
Move the controls to explore how usable battery size and driving efficiency combine. These values are hypothetical, not 2CV specifications or predictions.
This is straightforward energy arithmetic, not a real-world road test. Your usable charge window, driving conditions and displayed state of charge may differ. Citroën has not announced an official production 2CV range.
But range that works on a sunny urban commute may feel different on a freezing, wet motorway. Buyers will need to know how far they can actually travel at the speeds they use, with the reserve they like to keep — not just a flattering theoretical number.
That's why the eventual 2CV will be an interesting test for MyEVRange. When there are real owners on real roads, journeys with recorded battery usage and driving conditions can help us evaluate how useable the car's range really is.
Will it really cost €15,000?
That is Citroën's stated target, not a final showroom price. The manufacturer is aiming for a European entry price of about €15,000, with European manufacture and a vehicle designed around future European E-Car rules. Those regulations and the final car's exact specification will influence what eventually reaches the market.
A direct euro-to-pound conversion would not establish a UK on-the-road price. Market-specific specifications, taxes, approvals, exchange rates and the eventual launch strategy may all change the number. UK pricing and right-hand-drive arrangements are not yet confirmed.
Nor do we know whether the most affordable version would include every distinctive feature from the concept. A strong launch headline only becomes a strong-value car when we know what that price actually buys.
What's confirmed — and what's still missing
What Citroën has announced
- Electric 2CV-inspired concept unveiled in October 2026
- 3.76-metre concept design
- European manufacture intended
- European price target around €15,000
- Future production model intended by 2028
What remains unknown
- Final UK on-the-road price and availability
- Official battery capacity and WLTP range
- Motor power and DC charging speed
- Homologated weight and final safety equipment
- Real-world winter or motorway range
Could the 2CV change how we think about EVs?
The 2CV doesn't need to win a range contest to matter. It needs to make ordinary journeys easier at a price ordinary people can reach. If Citroën succeeds, this could be a welcome alternative to the assumption that every new EV should be a large, high-powered car with a vast battery.
That doesn't mean blindly accepting the promise. Affordable cars still need everyday comfort, safe and predictable charging, suitable road performance and a reasonable usable range in winter. The final specification will determine whether the new 2CV is a charming object or a genuinely good buying proposition.
For now, the electric 2CV is one of the most interesting *ideas* to emerge from the 2026 Paris Motor Show — and a concept with a credible production intention, not a finished car available to order.
Electric Citroën 2CV: your questions answered
Is the new Citroën 2CV really electric?
Yes. The 2026 2 CV Concept is a battery-electric design study. Citroën says it points towards a future electric model, but it is not yet a final production specification.
When is the electric 2CV coming out?
Citroën intends a new model to join its range by 2028. It has not confirmed a UK order-opening date or delivery timetable.
How much will the electric 2CV cost in the UK?
There is no announced UK price. Citroën's European target is approximately €15,000, which should not be presented as a guaranteed on-the-road price in Britain.
How many miles of range will it have?
No official production WLTP range has been announced. Any range numbers circulating without a reliable source are speculative.
The MyEVRange view: the right range matters more than the biggest range
The original 2CV succeeded by doing enough of the important things very well. An electric successor has a chance to do something similarly useful: prove that affordable mobility doesn't have to be oversized or overly complicated.
For a commuter or small household, a lighter car with sensible charging and a practical usable range might be a better choice than paying for battery capacity needed only occasionally. For a driver regularly covering long distances, the calculation may be different.
The most useful EV isn't always the one with the longest advertised range. It's the one that suits the journeys you actually make.
Compare electric cars on MyEVRange, explore the catalogue and learn how we measure real-world range. Already drive an EV? Share genuine journeys to help future buyers see beyond brochure figures.
Sources and reporting notes
- Citroën / Stellantis — 2 CV Concept: Time 2 Meet Again (11 October 2026).
- Citroën / Stellantis — Paris Motor Show announcement (14 October 2026).
Information checked 26 October 2026. A concept's target price, dimensions and design ambitions should not be mistaken for homologated production specifications. The interactive calculator is an educational example only, not an estimate of Citroën's eventual range. Photographs are individually credited and licensed below their images.
