As implied by Leclercq’s comment about the significance of the underlying ethos, simplicity and affordability will surely be key considerations during the development of the new 2CV. The original was billed as the minimum viable product required to bring mobility to the wider population in rural, post-war France.
That brief has some parallels with today’s society, because the transition to EVs – as well as other issues such as the rising cost of energy and materials – has caused new car prices to balloon and pushed EVs beyond the reach of many working-class and middle-class buyers.
With affordability in mind, a new 2CV would be most likely to use Citroën parent Stellantis’s cost-cutting Smart Car platform, which underpins cars including the new C3, Fiat Grande Panda and Vauxhall Frontera. However, it is possible that it could be decontented to further reduce costs. Even the C3, the most affordable of the cars to use the platform so far, receives luxuries such as hydraulic bump stops.
As for the car’s powertrain, it is expected to prioritise efficiency rather than performance and that will enable the fitment of a small and therefore cheaper battery pack.
Citroën CEO Thierry Koskas recently told Autocar that batteries are the biggest barrier to cutting the price of new electric cars, accounting for around 40% of a vehicle’s overall cost. “We still need to have a breakthrough in terms of battery costs,” said Koskas.
