Citroen has opened order books for the commercial version of its compact E-C3, with the new electric van starting at under £20,000 after government grants.
The E-C3 van represents one of the cheapest electric commercial vehicles on the market once the Plug-in Van Grant (PiVG) has been applied.
Simple Conversion Approach
The E-C3 “van” follows a straightforward conversion process from the regular Citroen E-C3 hatchback. Engineers removed the rear seats and blacked out the back windows.
A low-level solid bulkhead sits behind the front seats, with a full-height mesh bulkhead protecting occupants from cargo loads. The van also includes a mid-level load cover.
Citroen positioned the E-C3 van above the Ami Cargo in its commercial vehicle lineup. It competes directly with the Dacia Spring Cargo, which uses a similarly simple conversion approach.
The E-C3 Van offers a 300kg maximum payload – 70kg less than the Spring’s capacity. However, it provides 1,220 litres of maximum load volume – 135 litres more than the Dacia rival.
The Citroen van accommodates loads up to 1.2 metres long and 1 metre wide.
Performance and Range
The E-C3 Van uses the same powertrain as the passenger car version. A 111bhp front-mounted motor draws power from a 44kWh battery pack.
Citroen claims up to 200 miles of range – 60 miles more than the Dacia Spring Cargo offers.
The van supports 100kW charging speeds, enabling a 20-80% charge in 26 minutes.
Pricing and Equipment
Only one trim level is available, based on the Plus specification. The E-C3 van starts at £22,437 excluding VAT.
After applying the £2,500 PiVG, the starting price drops to £19,937.
Standard equipment includes Citroen’s Advanced Comfort seats and suspension, LED headlights, and cruise control. The van also features wireless Apple and Android mirroring plus rear parking sensors.
However, it swaps the passenger car’s diamond-cut alloy wheels for 17-inch steel models that cost less to maintain.
