This French Automotive Icon is Coming Back As a $17,000 EV 

The Citroen 2CV – the storied mobiliser of post-war France is set to return, this time as a low-cost electric vehicle aimed squarely at Europe’s growing demand for affordable EVs. According to reports, the reborn 2CV will sit below the upcoming Citroën ë-C3 in pricing, potentially targeting a sub-$17,000 price point. Unlike retro-inspired EVs that chase premium buyers, the new 2CV is expected to stay true to the original’s utilitarian ethos: lightweight, simple, practical, and inexpensive to run. The model will reportedly use parent company Stellantis’ low-cost Smart Car platform, which already underpins the ë-C3, helping keep development and manufacturing costs in check.

The Champion of the Proletariat 

The 2CV has been one of the most enduring symbols of France’s motoring landscape. Conceived in post-war France as affordable transport for the masses, it was engineered to be cheap, lightweight, and incredibly easy to maintain. Its famously soft suspension could traverse unpaved rural roads while carrying eggs without breaking them, and its tiny two-cylinder engine delivered remarkable efficiency. Yet the 2CV’s appeal went beyond practicality. Its quirky styling, roll-back canvas roof, and minimalist philosophy made it a cultural symbol of simplicity, individuality, and anti-luxury motoring — eventually earning cult status far beyond France. The Citroen 2CV remained in production from 1948 to 1990.

2CV or not 2CV?

So does the upcoming 2CV retain anything of the original, other than charm and a plucky, anti-authority attitude? Only in spirit, given that it has a totally different powertrain. While it is expected to retain the original’s idiosyncratic design elements, its chief purpose is to bring greater affordability to the EV space, according to Auto Express UK. Technically, this is far from the first electric 2CV since EV conversion kits for the 2CV are available in European markets. 

It can be a tad confusing since Citroen recently unveiled the CV21 concept, which is nothing like the upcoming 2CV, the official image for which is yet to be released. The car was a major talking point at Stellantis’ FaSTLAne 2030 event, which showcased the company’s major upcoming EV models through 2030. The brand intends to shed more light on the project by October 2026. 

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