Test: Citroën ë-C4

The Citroën ë-C4

That’s right, we rode it for the first time at the beginning of this year. A C4, but as a four-door. However, just like the ‘regular C4, its range was not great. The rat race is moving fast in EV land and if you have little range to offer, you will quickly fall hopelessly behind. At the Stellantis group they know all about it. There may be advantages to sharing your technology with many brands, but it also means that a technical disadvantage immediately affects many brands. For example, electric Opels, Peugeots and Citroëns have had a problem in recent years when you looked at how far their EVs came. It wasn’t great on paper, but in practice it was often completely disappointing. In addition, the power for an electric car was often limited to an unimpressive 136 hp.

You now spend less time at the charging station.

And now?

The group now has a new, larger battery with a stronger and more efficient electric motor. This debuted at the beginning of this year in an electric DS3. The battery received a relatively minor upgrade to 54 kWh and the power increased to 156 hp. More importantly, the entire drivetrain has become much more efficient, resulting in a reduction in electrical consumption and a significant increase in range. The WLTP range is now just over 400 kilometers, but given our more extensive experience in the DS3 with the same drivetrain, we also have good hopes for a good range in practice for other new cars with the new technology.

And how do you like the new drivetrain?

The power is not ample at 156 hp if we look at what Kia, Renault, Volkswagen and newcomers such as MG do with more than 200 hp. In smaller models such as the e-208 or DS3, 156 hp is fine, but in a larger model such as this C4 or C4

In our test drive in the ë-C4 At low speed it is still possible due to the relatively high torque, but with your family and luggage you will have lost all your energy. More power is really needed for the larger electric models within the group. In addition, the current powertrains available in the Netherlands are not among the best in the world. The 1.2 engine can handle it tight and the fully automatic does not help to get all the potential out of it. One gear full of electric power is ideal, but an additional 20 to 30 hp is needed, especially because it is also a large car.

Plenty of legroom in the back and a more sloping seat than in the C4 hatchback.

And how does the ë-C4

In terms of driving refinement, it is noticeable that the C4 The older C5 Aircross, for example, drives significantly better. Still, the amount of space you get for your money is very decent. Both on the back seat and in terms of luggage space, it is a relatively large car for just over 40,000 euros. With competitors you are often a lot tighter for this money. The biggest problem still comes from America: for something extra you can also get a Tesla Model 3.

As you may know, the C4 The C4 The sedan is 24 centimeters longer behind the rear axle than the hatchback, and these are centimeters that entirely benefit the luggage space. With a capacity of 510 liters, the trunk is therefore one of the generous ones, 130 liters more than in the C4. And under the floor of the trunk there is a separate compartment where you can store a charging cable. The opening is of course smaller, an unavoidable disadvantage of a sedan compared to a hatchback like the ‘normal C4’.

For the time being, the new electric powertrain will be available in addition to the old variant with 136 hp and less range. And yes, it is a bit cheaper (and less well equipped), but you would be crazy not to pay the extra price for the new variant, if only because you will see it almost entirely reflected in your residual value.