ElectricHatchbackBudget EV
Citroën ë-C3
Citroën's low-priced electric small car, with a 44 kWh Standard Range or 30 kWh Urban Range battery.
Names and versions: Citroën ë-C3 or e-C3; the C3 is the petrol and hybrid version; also ë-C3 Outdoor; not the larger ë-C3 Aircross.
Official range
up to202 milesWLTP
Rapid charging, as claimed
Official range
up to202 milesWLTP
Market or version specificBattery
30 or 44 kWh
Market or version specificRapid charging
up to100 kW
Market or version specificEfficiency
16.7 kWh/100 km
Local check neededIs the Citroën ë-C3 worth considering?
Our view. ADAC measured 19.9 kWh/100 km and a 255 km Ecotest range for the 44 kWh car against 322 km WLTP, and What Car? calculated about 155 miles in summer. Rapid charging is slow, at 36 minutes from 10 to 80 per cent in ADAC's test, and no current Euro NCAP rating was found.
What independent tests found
- Claims checked
- 0 of 1 hold up
- Evidence
- 3 tests from 2 testers
Range
- What Car? What Car? group test: BYD Dolphin Surf vs Citroën e-C3 vs Renault 5, June 2025
155 mi
Local check neededCitroën e-C3 Max (44 kWh Standard Range). Two-day UK road trip in summer; range calculated from 3.5 mi/kWh average efficiency and the usable battery size. The least efficient of the three cars on test; What Car? did not quote the official figure in this test, and Citroën UK now lists up to 202 miles WLTP for this battery.
Efficiency
- ADAC ADAC Autotest and Ecotest, Citroën ë-C3 Standard Range, May 2026
19.9 kWh/100 km vs 16.7 kWh/100 km WLTP
Falls short · 84% Published referenceCitroën ë-C3 113 Standard Range You, 83 kW, 44 kWh LFP. ADAC Ecotest cycle: air conditioning on, extra load, includes a motorway section; consumption includes charging losses. ADAC derives 255 km against 322 km WLTP and calls the consumption relatively high; the page was updated in May 2026.
Rapid charging
- ADAC ADAC Autotest charging measurement, Citroën ë-C3, May 2026
36 min 10–80%
Local check neededCitroën ë-C3 113 Standard Range You (44 kWh). DC rapid charging, 10–80%, summer temperatures. Peak 88.2 kW and 61.1 kW average; Citroën claims 26 minutes from 20 to 80%, a different window, and ADAC warns winter results may be worse.
Measured figures are compared only with an official figure in the same unit and test basis; the bar’s tick marks 100% of the claim. Winter results are shown, not judged. How the evidence check works.
How far can it go?
The published reference is Up to 202 miles. WLTP, UK: Standard Range (44 kWh) up to 202 miles, Urban Range (30 kWh) up to 132 miles (the same page also says 130 miles). Citroën UK model page. Compare it only with figures from the same test cycle.
Against other electric cars in the file, on a 0–1000 km scale
- Citroën ë-C3 Up to 202 miles
- Audi Q4 e-tron 375–563 km
- Audi Q6 e-tron 598–641 km
- BMW i4 386–600 km
- BMW iX1 434–516 km
- BYD Atto 2 312–430 km
- BYD Atto 3 Up to 420 km
- BYD Dolphin Surf 220–322 km
- BYD Seal 460–570 km
- BYD Sealion 7 456–502 km
- Cadillac Lyriq 285–326 miles
- Chevrolet Equinox EV 288–319 miles
- Ford Mustang Mach-E 240–320 miles
- Hyundai Inster 327–370 km
- Hyundai Ioniq 5 Up to 570 km
- Hyundai Ioniq 6 521–680 km
- Hyundai Kona Electric 380–510 km
- Kia EV3 Up to 605 km
- Kia EV5 505–530 km
- Kia EV6 Up to 582 km
- Kia EV9 Up to 563 km
- Leapmotor C10 420–510 km
- Lucid Air 372–512 miles
- Mercedes-Benz CLA Electric Up to 792 km
- MG MG4 EV Up to 545 km
- Nissan Leaf 451–623 km
- Peugeot E-3008 Up to 435 miles
- Polestar 2 568–659 km
- Polestar 4 590–620 km
- Renault 5 E-Tech Up to 430 km
- Renault Scenic E-Tech Up to 642 km
- Rivian R1S 258–410 miles
- Škoda Elroq 408–577 km
- Škoda Enyaq 428–584 km
- Tesla Model 3 Up to 750 km
- Tesla Model Y Up to 622 km
- Toyota bZ4X 444–569 km
- Volkswagen ID.3 Up to 630 km
- Volkswagen ID.4 Up to 574 km
- Volkswagen ID.7 Up to 709 km
- Volvo EX30 337–475 km
- Xiaomi SU7 720–902 km
Speed, temperature, wind, elevation, tyres, load and cabin heating or cooling all change real-world range. How EPA, WLTP and CLTC differ.
How quickly does it charge?
The highest published DC figure is Up to 100 kW. Standard Range: up to 100 kW DC, 20–80% in about 26 minutes; Urban Range: 20–80% in 36 minutes. Citroën UK.. A peak rate is reached briefly; the average across a session is lower.
Home charging time depends on the energy added, the car’s AC limit, the charger and the supply. Estimate a session with this car’s battery.
What to check before buying
- Who is it for?
- Buyers on a tight budget who mainly drive in and around town.
- What needs checking?
- The Urban Range version has a small 30 kWh battery and a much shorter range. Rapid charging is slow, and this generation has no Euro NCAP rating; the expired 2017 C3 rating covered an earlier model.
- What is the evidence?
- Official Citroën UK figures, ADAC Ecotest and charging test of the Standard Range, and a What Car? summer road-trip test. No NAF test or current Euro NCAP rating was found.
Evidence record
4 figures, each linked to where it starts. A published value is not automatically the right value for every trim or country.
| Figure | Value | Condition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official range | Up to 202 miles | Market or version specific WLTP, UK: Standard Range (44 kWh) up to 202 miles, Urban Range (30 kWh) up to 132 miles (the same page also says 130 miles). Citroën UK model page. | Official manufacturer model page (Citroën UK) Checked 18 October 2026 |
| Battery | 30 or 44 kWh | Market or version specific Battery capacities as quoted by Citroën UK; ADAC lists 29.3 and 43.8 kWh net. Both use an 83 kW (113 hp) motor. | Official manufacturer model page (Citroën UK) Checked 18 October 2026 |
| Rapid charging | Up to 100 kW | Market or version specific Standard Range: up to 100 kW DC, 20–80% in about 26 minutes; Urban Range: 20–80% in 36 minutes. Citroën UK. | Official manufacturer model page (Citroën UK) Checked 18 October 2026 |
| Efficiency | 16.7 kWh/100 km | Local check needed WLTP combined for the 113 Standard Range as listed by ADAC from manufacturer data (16.5 for the Urban Range); Citroën UK's model page gives no consumption figure. | ADAC technical data (manufacturer figures) Checked 18 October 2026 |