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It turns out higher than that: starting price (Live variant) is 11.5 lakhs. (And 12.13 for Feel.)

One thing the ë-C3 does have is decent boot space (and a spare tyre not just a puncture repair kit). Another thing that could have helped it 2 years ago is the Citroën brand name (compared to Tata's reputation for niggles and bad service). But by now Tata has built a solid reputation as an EV maker and, at these prices, I think the ë-C3 will struggle.

Just feel that Citroen needed more aggressive pricing to compete with Tiago EV and to draw customers to their showroom. It looks a little difficult with these prices now.

Seems this is dead on arrival based on irrational pricing and ends up making the Tiago & Tigor look better in terms of value proposition.

It would have made sense if it had a better range/ powertrain or better equipment list. What Citroen has done here is that they've shot themselves on foot :Frustrati .

Tiago and Tigor EV still make better sense financially. At this stage, Citroen's decision feels more like an oversight.

eC3 is bigger then a Tigor EV, even in boot space its only 1 Liter less but has a spare wheel. It's cheaper then the base model Tigor XE but with bigger battery size and all door power window.

Even though the introductory prices seem high on first glance, a comparison with the prices and specifications of Tata Tiago .EV by Rushlane makes things clearer, and then it seems more sensible.

Comparison Link:- https://www.rushlane.com/citroen-c3-...-12462108.html


Specs comparison


Price comparison



Warranty and Charging comparison

If I were to buy an entry level EV right now, and had to choose between these two, I may have gone for the Citroen eC3 just because it betters Tiago .EV in most aspects, and comes out as a value for money offering.

But yes, I love the Tiago too, and have been a proud Tata owner for many cars as my signature shows. I'll let other prospective buyers take their call.

Apart from size, in which aspect is eC3 better than tiago? Also the battery,which is air-cooled, is untested in Indian summers

If my understanding is right, eC3 uses LFP , which stretches the usable range and ofcourse the life expetency. Unlike Tiago, you can drain it close to 0 and do frequent fast charges as well.

Also, I feel it rightly sits between Tiago and Nexon and the price seems logical. Whether Indian customers will prefer it as a city car or not, will have to wait and watch.

Looking at the ARAI certified Range for both Tiago LR and Citroen eC3, there is hardly any difference.

Tiago LR base XT is priced 1.5 lakh less and offers more features than the Top End eC3. Tiago is more powerful and both have roughly the same *rated* range. A Tiago with the exact same features as the eC3 could be even lower priced.

The price differential in the Petrol C3 and Tiago is not this glaring. There is a 40k difference between the base Tiago XE and Base C3 Live which offer roughly the same features.

In both cases, the Citroen is physically larger than the Tata. I wonder why Citroen could not price this one better. I suspect it is probably due to the 25% larger battery that they haven't been able to use as efficiently as the Tata.

Tiago is also LFP and liquid cooled. The ground clearance also seems to be the same, I prefer hatchbacks.

Launched at Rs 11.50 lakh, the Citroen eC3 is priced at a premium over the Tata Tiago EV.

Here's how the two stack up on the price graph.

I think for a compact SUV which is an EV, at this price point it is a bang for the buck. There are no E- SUV's which are currently on sale in India at this price point. We have the Nexon but it is still expensive compared to the EC3. Citroen should get this right provided that the service will be good and no reliability issues like Tata.

Tiago also uses LFP chemistry. Apart from price and size, most features like top speed, charging time, power warranty, etc are downgrade from Tiago. Not having liquid cooling will have an effect on fast-charging time

Oh man, Citroen overcooked and undercooked and how! Such a delayed price announcement, and the prices themselves are a damp squib. Car for car, it is a good 1.5L more than the similarly equipped Tiago EV long range base model. That’s too much. And this is without taking into account the fact that Tiago EV is based on a 100% proven base car and is backed by a proven manufacturer with the most prolific record of EVs in India.

And then, the eC3 looks positively naked in front of the top end Tiago XZ+ Lux. Clearly, Citroen hasn’t learnt its lessons from the weak response to the C3. Expect this car to see sizeable discounts pretty soon.

As you can see, my decision or consensus is just based upon the prices and specifications, thus finalizing a 'Value For Money' buy, not the Mechanical or Technical aspect, as being a Physiotherapist I can not tell the advantages or disadvantages of a Liquid Cooled or Air Cooled battery pack. I have seen this car testing here in Manali, and a few Nexon EVs being used locally, but not a Tiago EV yet.

** To answer your specific question of battery cooling in Indian summers, "I will basically need a car for Colder Climates of Manali and Dehradun, not for hot Indian summers of South India or the coastal regions."

* I feel that apart from the obviously bigger dimensions, just the Power is lesser, while Torque is much more, which is clearly good for a place in the hills like Manali.

* The standard Battery Pack is bigger than both Tiago MR and Tiago LR, or whatever the 2 variants of Tiago .EV are called.

* Driving range is marginally better, and we never cross 100Km/Hr here in the hills, so no problem with having a top speed limited to 107Km/Hr. My Nano had a speed limited at 105Km/Hr, and I have overtaken Mercs and Fortuners with that thing and felt proud of my Small Wonder!

* I know Tiago .EV has adjustable Regen, not sure about the eC3. It's not mentioned in the comparo tables also. Regen would be really helpful in the hills where I live!

* The Infotainment System is bigger in the Citroen, and it looks funky with the interior design of AC Vents etc.

So, again I say, "if I were in the market today to buy an entry level EV", keeping my specific requirements in mind, I would rather spend on the eC3 than Tiago! Just for my use case and terrain. Hope this clarifies your doubts.

If you will see the cars I have owned, and read my Ownership Reviews, you'll understand that I go for practicality and need, and not over the popular choice of people's suggestions. I have to live with my choices, not the people giving me recommendations, hence whatever suits me is chosen always.