Citroën has presented a conceptual electric version of its classic 2CV, with the aim of launching the vehicle on the market in 2028 for only 15,000 euros.
Throughout the second half of the 20th century, the Citroën 2CV (“two horses”, French for “two horses”) occupied a special place in the European automotive scene.
This affordable, comfortable but underpowered vehicle was hugely popular and sold millions of units during its production cycle.
Its cute and quirky appearance was unique and eye-catching, with its tall, rounded, cartoon-like passenger cabin, cheerful circular headlights and pop-up windows.
It was a small vehicle, but still designed to be comfortable for a family of four, with a unique, soft suspension design intended to allow drivers to cross a field in rural France with a basket of eggs without breaking them.
The car ended production in 1990, but much-loved versions can still be seen driving around in many parts of the world (I’ve even seen a DIY electric conversion here in California).
And now, it’s back with an official electric concept, and one that Citroën says it aims to have on sale and on the roads by 2028.
The model was shown ahead of the Paris Motor Show, which starts this week.
It retains the general shape of the original Deux Chevaux, although with a less cheerful cabin, a taller and squarer front bonnet, much lower wheel arches, drop-down windows and no rear fender skirts.
So, it is basically the new conceptual, electric, modern and technological version of the 2CV. There are definitely a lot of things that have changed and it’s not as unique as the previous car was. But the call of nostalgia is still very much there.
In particular, it retains several key features: the giant fabric roof that can be opened completely, the small size of the 2CV (the new 2CV concept actually measures four inches shorter than the old 2CV), and an affordable price: Citroën aims for a starting price of “around 15,000 euros” (just under $17,000).
Being small helps keep the price down and the new 2CV is not only short, it’s also light. Citroën aims to keep the weight around 1,000 kg (2,205 pounds), which is not only light for an electric vehicle, but also light for any car (lighter than the current Mazda MX-5, for example).
We don’t know anything about the specifications yet, but given the badge on the back of the car, we can expect it to be underpowered.
The original Deux Chevaux had more than two horsepower, but not much: It ranged from 9 to 29 horsepower over the course of its 42 years of production (the name comes from France’s vehicle tax system, which had a strange formula for calculating “tax horsepower”).
So expect the EV version to be more powerful than any 2CV ever seen, but it still won’t be a speed demon. It will sit between the 8hp Ami and the 113hp C3 in terms of vehicle sizes, so it seems like a good upper and lower bound for where we can expect the 2CV to sit.
Battery size is another open question. The original 2CV was conceived as a rural vehicle, allowing four people to drive through the French countryside, including space for their luggage. That would suggest a battery large enough to switch from charger to charger during travel.
But nowadays, a small car like this is considered more of a city car. And these typically need smaller ranges since there aren’t long trips and the chargers aren’t as spread out.
We don’t know what direction Citroën has taken here, but the low wheel arches suggest a vehicle designed for pavement rather than off-road. Perhaps it’s a sign of a more city-focused design, or simply a comment on how many improvements French roads have seen since 1948.
Or maybe we should look at the competition: similar small urban EVs tend to have ~30 kWh batteries and ~250 km (~150 miles) range, so maybe we’ll expect something similar.
The interior is cute but spartan, although the concept’s vibrant colors surely won’t fully carry over to the production version (nor will the hanging lights).
But photos of the interior give us an idea of the direction Citroën is taking: an austere, open interior, which seems to make the most of its small space to make room for people, rather than extra technological frills.
The only technology visible is a small tablet-like screen attached to the steering column and what looks like a wide screen for the driver on the dashboard. There is a removable radio/speaker module on the passenger side.
The basket in the middle may or may not make it to production, potentially in a quieter form as a covered interior storage space. But in concept, its design is intended to evoke the design brief of the original 2CV “egg basket.”
That’s not the only reference to eggs: the concept’s door pockets even have cutouts for half a dozen eggs, keeping them secure in a way for which the new 2CV’s much shorter suspension travel is perhaps less suitable than that of the original.
We still don’t know what will happen to the production version, but given that Citroën wants to release this car in 2028, we can’t imagine it will change that much. As usual, expect some of the more extravagant design touches to be toned down before production.
Which maybe isn’t a bad thing after all. The fewer custom parts Citroën needs for this car, the more it can keep costs down, which is the true essence of what the Deux Chevaux always was: it was the French answer to the Volkswagen Beetle, everyone’s workhorse that simply did what it had to do to get you around at a reasonable price.
If Citroën can do that, while maintaining some of the cuteness and whimsy of the original, it could have an instant classic on its hands.
What do you think of the new Deux Chevaux? Let us know in the comments.
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