All-Electric Citroen C1 ev'ie Launched in Britain

A new, pure electric version of Citroen's C1 minicar has gone on sale in the U.K. Dubbed C1 ev'ie, the zero-emission four-seater is the work of Electric Car Corporation Plc. (EEC), a British firm that converts standard C1s into electric-powered vehicles. The only difference between Citroen's standard C1 and EEC's plug-in C1 ev'ie concerns the replacement of the combustion engine with a 30kw electric motor that is powered by a set of lithium-ion batteries positioned under the bonnet as well as in the place where the fuel tank used to be.

The C1 ev'ie can reach a top speed of 60mph (96km/h) and has a range between 60 and 75 miles (100 - 120km) on a full charge. According to EEC's claims, the C1 ev'ie can be fully charged in 6-7 hours from a domestic 13 amp socket at a cost of around 90p (about a US$1.20).

ECC said that it expects to produce around 500 C1 ev'ies over the next 12 months, rising to between 2,000 and 4,000 units in 2010, dependent upon "demand and government support".

Available in both three-door and five-door trims, the C1 ev'ie is priced at a steep £16,850 or about the equivalent of $25,000 U.S. That's more than double the price of the standard C1 with a 68HP 1.0-liter engine that returns an average of 62.8mpg UK (52.3mpg US or 4.5lt/100km) and has an OTR of £7,795 or with Citroen UK's existing offer, £6,395.