By James Stinson
Citroën is preparing to bring one of the most famous names in European motoring back to the road, with its new 2 CV Concept previewing a tiny, affordable electric car expected to reach showrooms by 2028.
Unveiled at the recent Paris Motor Show, the wonderfully cutesy little EV is intended to sit between Citroën’s Ami and C3 and, crucially, the company is targeting a European starting price of around €15,000.
This is no cynical badge-engineering exercise, according to Citroën. Instead, the company says it wants to reinvent the philosophy that made the original 2CV special: simplicity, affordability, low weight, comfort and clever engineering.
A French motoring icon reborn
Few cars provide richer material.
The original 2CV made its debut at the Paris Motor Show in 1948 and remained in production until 1990. Conceived as inexpensive transport for rural France, its simple air-cooled two-cylinder engine, soft suspension, lightweight construction and roll-back fabric roof made it one of Europe’s most distinctive cars.
Indeed, Citroën’s famously pragmatic development philosophy included creating a car capable of carrying people and produce over rough rural roads. The exceptionally compliant suspension subsequently became part of the 2CV legend.
The new car takes inspiration from that history without simply photocopying it.
At 3.76 metres long, it is actually shorter than the old 2CV and Citroën is targeting a kerb weight of around one tonne. Visually, however, there is no mistaking the connection.
Almost cartoon-like circular headlights sit proud of the body, while a high, sweeping bonnet, rounded wheelarches, upright sides and curved roof give the concept an extraordinarily cheerful appearance. There are exposed windscreen wipers, slim rear lights and enormous 19-inch steel wheels, while the fabric sunroof is perhaps the most obvious link with the original.
It’s deliberately cute and wilfully different from the increasingly homogenised world of compact electric cars.
Heritage becomes a selling point
That distinctiveness could prove important.
European manufacturers are facing increasing pressure from Chinese marques including BYD, Chery and its Omoda and Jaecoo brands, while other newcomers are rapidly establishing themselves. Many arrive with long equipment lists and aggressively competitive pricing.
European brands possess something much harder to manufacture quickly: history.
Renault has already demonstrated how effectively it can be deployed. The Renault 5 E-Tech transformed the visual character of the original Renault 5 into a modern EV rather than slavishly recreating it. Renault’s fully electric sales rose strongly during the first half of 2026, helped by the success of the R5.
Citroën is now playing a similar card.
The challenge is ensuring the eventual 2CV is more than a compelling piece of industrial design. The old car became an icon because it was useful and inexpensive, not because Citroën told customers it was iconic.
Simple, colourful and clever
The concept’s interior is appropriately unconventional. There isn’t even a traditional dashboard.
Instead, a cylindrical structure carries a single-spoke steering wheel and essential controls, accompanied by a Citroën Smart Vision display and an eight-inch square touchscreen. A detachable “Radioën” works as both the car’s radio and a portable speaker.
There are wide Advanced Comfort seats, soft strap door handles and a removable storage basket in place of a conventional centre console. Bright yellow tartan upholstery, wicker-inspired fabrics and beige detailing add more personality.
Citroën has even shaped storage spaces to accommodate eggs, one of numerous nods to the original car.
Range and performance remain a mystery
There is, however, a sizeable gap in our knowledge.
Citroën has not yet announced the battery capacity, electric motor output, performance, official range or maximum charging speed of the production car. Nor has it detailed separate trim levels or confirmed precisely what equipment an entry-level €15,000 version will receive.
What Citroën has said is revealing. Keeping weight down should allow the production 2CV to use a smaller and therefore cheaper battery, with its range deliberately tailored towards everyday driving rather than headline-grabbing long-distance figures.
Can the 2CV repeat history?
At around €15,000 it would operate in a very different price bracket from many mainstream European EVs and could emerge as an intriguing alternative to inexpensive electric cars from Dacia and Chinese manufacturers, as well as forthcoming small European EVs.
The 2CV Concept certainly has character on its side but Citroën has a difficult balancing act ahead. It must turn this hugely appealing concept into an inexpensive production car without sanding away the eccentricities that make it interesting.
If it succeeds, the 2CV could demonstrate that Europe’s great carmakers still have an important weapon against newer competitors: not merely nostalgia, but brands and designs that consumers already have an emotional reason to care about.
