Citroën C-Zero
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Citroën has a new EV after a 7-year hiatus. Called C-Zero to indicate Zero emission and fit with their existing numbering system it is virtually identical to Peugeot iOn. The two sister companies have long shared designs on small cars: the Peugeot 106 was (generally) the upmarket version of the Citroën Saxo. Currently the Peugeot 107, Citroën C1 and Toyota Aygo are all essentially the same car and roll off the same production line. Peugeot and Citroën have followed the same logic to bring a new EV to market.
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Peugeot-Citroën's pre-existing relationship with
Mitsubishi to buy-in low volume models (they also
rebadge their Outlander 4x4 model as Citroën C-Crosser)
meant it was an obvious choice as a partner to
reintroduce EVs to the market using the well-developed
i-MiEV as the basis.
The French giant has quite a history with EVs: their
Berlingo électrique was the first serious commercial
electric vehicle getting into fleets in the UK in the
90s. They also produced an electric version of the
Saxo, which never made it to these shores since it would
have competed with the Peugeot 106 Electric.
In terms of specification, the Peugeot and Citroën
products are identical
so C-Zero is definitely not the poor-man's iOn.
So what are the differences between C-Zero and
i-MiEV? The most significant addition on the
C-Zero is Citroën Connect, fitted to all of the other
cars in their portfolio now, allowing you to summon
roadside assistance or the emergency services at the
touch of a button - or automatically in the case of an
accident. A built-in SIM card, mobile phone
technology and a GPS allow emergency calls to be tracked
and the vehicle location pinpointed. On C-Zero the
service extends cover to running out of juice - a
comforting safety blanket, especially for a novice EV
driver.
The cooler, funkier cousin?
Just like other small Citroën's, C-Zero is normally
shown off in the bold yellow or red (to reflect
Citroën's branding) as opposed to the conservative
silver and metallic blue normally seen on Peugeot
iOn. Whilst the colour pallette is far greater
than the paltry 4 choices available on i-MiEV, they are
largely the same between the sister brands (solid white,
silver, black, pearlescent white, red & yellow) but
each brand has a unique choice, Citroën replacing the
metallic Killi Blue with metallic Raspberry Red.
Peugeot iOn and Mitsubishi i-MiEV have opted for
body-coloured door frames whereas C-Zero has black
borders: together with the tinted windows and
black-bodied mirrors they give a more solid look with
the illusion of a single, large contrasting panel.
Smoke-tinted rear lamp clusters are carried straight
over from the i-MiEV and are a little more 'Citroen'
than the red ones of iOn, reflecting the same choices on
C1 and 107. The headlamp bodies are darker too.
C-Zero comes with automatically folding mirrors
activated by the remote central locking and 7-spoke
alloys are standard - an option on i-MiEV.
Completing the Citroën image are the trademark chevrons
on the tiny bonnet.
You get a standard DIN radio with 2 speakers and 2
tweeters but it has both a CD and a USB connection - to
connect straight to an iPod, other MP3 player or even
just a memory stick with your favourite tunes. It
also has Bluetooth and a microphone in the dash to use
handsfree with a suitable mobile phone.
On the road
The official range figure from the European 'NEDC' test
cycle quotes a range of 93 miles, but this is an
overestimate in virtually all circumstances. A
practical maximum of 80 miles is a more honest estimate,
subject to modest speeds and without the use of the
electric heating or air-conditioning. With
automatic style driving controls and just
Park-Reverse-Neutral-Drive selections, it is incredibly
simple to drive. There is no built-in satellite
navigation but is available as an accessory to fix to
the windscreen.
Being rear-wheel-drive it doesn't have a huge boot,
just 166 litres, but the 50:50 rear seats fold flat very
simply (no issue with seatbelts being caught up etc) to
liberate a high, level load floor making it more
practical than many larger hatchbacks. Without drive
going through the front wheels it has an incredibly
tight turning lock, particularly useful in city driving
and for making u-turns in the road.
There is only one trim level, in one shade of brown,
but relatively well-specified with remote central
locking and all-round electric windows. Electric
heating and air-conditioning need judicious use to avoid
reducing range, where this will be an issue. The
range can be down to as little as 40 miles, especially
in winter with heating and a heavy right foot, but with
care a reliable 60 mile range is easily achievable.
All three of the cars achieved an impressive 4-star
Euro-NCAP rating, with 6 airbags including curtain
airbags, Isofix points for child seats in the rear with
a disabling function for the passenger airbag.
Charging
In common with the other Japanese origin cars,
including Nissan LEAF, C-Zero has 2 charge inlets, one
on each rear quarter panel: the right-hand-side has the
'normal' inlet for charging at home (or base) from a wallbox charger or at a charging
station, recouping 8-12 miles' worth of driving per
hour. On the left-hand-side rear is the Quick
Charge inlet for use with ChaDeMo chargers to bring up
80% in 30 minutes from empty: 30%-80% in about 15
minutes. Plugged In Places areas deploying these
chargers (as well as Ireland, the Netherlands and
Estonia) give longer legs to the pint-sized car.
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Economics
The C-Zero is available to retail at £21,216 inc VAT and Plug-In Car
Grant, or is especially good value on Contract Hire at just £144+VAT per month on a
3-year, 30,000 mile contract. When factoring in the
potential to save over £100 per month on fuel charges,
nil road tax, exemption from Congestion Charge (in
London, with a £10 annual admin fee) and, as a business,
0% Benefit-In-Kind (Company Car tax) for an employee
& nil National Insurance contributions for the
employer, you can quickly see how affordable the
C-Zero really can be, especially for businesses who can
write down the costs against tax.
Verdict
In common with the Peugeot iOn and Mitsubishi i-MiEV,
the Citroën C-Zero is a nimble, agile EV with generous
interior space for 4 adults considering its small
footprint on the road. Fantastic steering lock
make it incredibly maneouverable. Whilst its Peugeot
stablemate is more staid and serious, the Citroën looks
more fun, especially in a bold solid colour such as the
red or yellow. Avoid the pearlescent black since
it will require greater ventilation or air-conditioning
in summer.
We're not so keen on the one choice of brown trim to
the dash and seat cloth, whatever the exterior colour,
which is a shame but it is lighter than the sombre interior
of iOn.
The only option of the Cold Pack (heated drivers seat
and heated mirrors) at just £155 (inc VAT) should always
be specified: the heated seat can take the chill off and
avoid use of the energy-hungry main heating, preserving
range.
Citroën C-Zero is £21,216 On The Road (including the Plug-In Car Grant) or £144+VAT per month on a 36-month (3+35) 10,000 miles per annum Contract Hire.
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