Citroën has presented the new C3 Aircross intended for the Indian and South American markets. The second generation of the French SUV grows 16 centimeters compared to the current model, reaching 4.32 meters longwhich allows it to offer a cabin with up to seven seats and a trunk with a capacity of between 444 and 511 liters.
The European model, which will be released next year, will share a platform (a simplified version of the well-known CMP/eCMP conceived in collaboration with Tata Consultancy Service for emerging markets) with the Indian and South American versions, although it will receive a redesigned front and rear to adopt the company’s new aesthetic language.
There will also be changes in terms of technological equipment, and its chassis will be specially tuned for the roads of the old continent. In terms of safety, the C3 Aircross that will reach our roads will be distinguished by having a reinforced structure and an arsenal of next-generation driving assistants. By contrast, the European variant will only be available with five seats.
Citroën has confirmed that, like the C3, the new C3 Aircross will have electric versions, which will receive the trade name ë-C3 Aircross. The units destined for the Indian market will be assembled in Tiruvallur, the South American ones in Porto Real (Brazil) and the European ones in Trnava (Slovakia), where it will share a line with the next FIAT Multipla.
The Citroën ë-C3 Aircross will arrive in Europe next year
The ë-C3 Aircross for emerging markets will probably boast relatively modest performance, since its mechanics most likely derive from that of the local ë-C3, which combines a 58 hp (42 kW) and 143 Nm engine with some 29.2 kWh air-cooled LFP (lithium-ironphosphate) batteries. With everything, the SUV is probably a little more powerful and has a bigger pack.
In Europe, the offer of the ë-C3 will unfold in two versions, one economical and the other somewhat more capable, a strategy that could be replicated in his older brother. The ë-C3 “Eco” will have 82 CV (60 kW) and LFP batteries of SVolt origin, while the standard ë-C3 will use a 109 CV (80 kW) propeller and a 51 kWh pack with NCM (nickel nickel) cells. , cobalt, manganese) from CATL.
In the case of the ë-C3 Aircross, it is not clear that there will be an “Eco” model; In addition, the 51 kWh NCM battery will surely be replaced by another 54 kWh battery that is more in line with the dimensions of the car. This pack is already used in other electric B-SUVs from the Stellantis group, such as the DS 3 E-TENSEhe jeep avenger or the Opel Mokka Electric. Initially, its starting price will be less than 30,000 euros before aid.
