France’s iconic 2CV to be made again - but in electric version
The aim is to ‘recapture the spirit’ of the instantly-recognisable design
The aim is to “recapture the spirit” of the design, Stellantis has said
marinissim/Shutterstock.
Iconic French vehicle the Citroёn 2CV is set to be manufactured again – except this time, it will be an 100% electric version.
Stellantis, the parent company of Citroёn, announced on Tuesday, May 19, its intention to release an electric version of the instantly-recognisable vehicle. Currently dubbed the ‘e-car’, the vehicle is set to be released in 2028, Le Figaro reported.
It may also receive the iconic ‘2CV’ name, but Citroёn has not yet confirmed this. The plan is to revive the well-known shape of the 2CV (while modernising it), and “recapture the spirit” of the design, Stellantis said.
The new electric version is expected to retail at around €15,000 (excluding any eco grant funding), keeping it in line with the company’s aims to keep the vehicle as an “affordable, mass-market” vehicle.
Despite its inextricable link with France, however, the new 2CV will not be manufactured in the country. Instead, it is set to be assembled at the Pomigliano d’Arco plant near Naples, in Italy.
More details may be announced on Thursday, May 21, Stellantis Investor Day, when Antonio Filosa, director general of Stellantis, is set to give a presentation of the group’s upcoming strategic plan, in Detroit, USA according to reports in Le Figaro.
Post-war progress
More than five million examples of the original 2CV (‘deux chevaux’, also known as ‘Deudeuche’ in French) were produced in the years 1949-1990.
First designed in 1930 as the TPV (“toute petite voiture”, tiny little car), the vehicle was originally marketed as “four wheels under an umbrella (quatre roues sous un parapluie)” and aimed to carry four people and 50kg of luggage comfortably up to 60 kp/h.
It came to represent post-war France. It was manufactured in the country until 1988, but the last new model was made in Portugal in July 1990.
Stellantis moves
Stellantis now also owns the brands Peugeot, Citroën, Fiat, Chrysler, Opel, and Alfa Romeo. Other well-known vehicle brands and models have already received an all-electric update, including Renault’s R4, R5, and Twingo; and the Fiat 500, and Panda.
Last week, Stellantis also announced a deal with Chinese manufacturer Dongfeng, which is already a Citroën partner brand (and of Peugeot too). The group has also recently reached an agreement with Chinese manufacturer Leapmotor.
Yet Stellantis has also seen some negative headlines recently, including in April this year, when it recalled 700,000 vehicles worldwide – under the brands Peugeot, Citroën, Jeep, Fiat, and Alfa Romeo – due to a fire risk with their hybrid engines.
