The Citroen e-C4 hatch and e-C4 X sedan have gained new all-electric drivetrain options in Europe, boosting the small car’s range and performance capabilities.
Citroen’s SUV-inspired hatch and sedan are now available in Europe with an electric motor making 115kW and 260Nm. It drives the front wheels, and is paired to a new 54kWh battery pack.
The new electric motor is a hybrid synchronous design, and is said to be more efficient than the 100kW permanent magnet synchronous electric motor that has been the only option thus far.
Citroen e-C4 X pictured throughout
Meanwhile, the new 54kWh battery has a higher nickel ratio — 80 per cent nickel, 10 per cent manganese, and 10 per cent cobalt — than the original 50kWh pack, which has a 60/20/20 split. This, Citroen, claims results in better energy density, and a longer lifespan.
Despite only having about eight per cent more capacity, this new combo has a 17 per cent better WLTP range rating: 420km compared to the 50kWh’s 360km.
The new 115kW motor and 54kWh battery combination will be available on higher-spec versions of the e-C4 and e-C4 X, while the existing 100kW motor and 50kWh will continue to be offered on lower grades.
The third-generation Citroen C4 was launched globally in 2020. In Europe it served as a replacement for the quirky AirBump-equipped C4 Cactus, although the crossover remains in production in South America.
The new C4 made it into Australian showrooms at the end of 2021.
Unlike Europe where the C4, and later C4 X, are available with a choice of petrol, diesel, and pure electric drivetrains, Australia-bound C4 models are sold exclusively with a 114kW/240Nm 1.2-litre turbocharged three-cylinder engine.
Citroen Australia re-iterated late last year the e-C4 remains “under evaluation” for Australia. Should it launch, it would be the brand’s first electric vehicle Down Under.
MORE: Everything Citroen C4
