Citroën has unveiled an electric 2CV Concept at the 2026 Paris Motor Show, previewing a small car intended to bring new-car prices down to around €15,000. Alongside it, the company has revealed a modern interpretation of the classic 2CV Fourgonnette van, although the commercial vehicle is currently a design study rather than a planned production model.
Citroën is looking to its past for inspiration as it explores more affordable electric vehicles, unveiling two concepts inspired by the original 2CV at the Paris Motor Show.
The electric 2CV Concept previews a proposed production model expected to join the Citroën range by 2028. The 2CV Fourgonnette Concept, meanwhile, revisits the van that once served generations of tradespeople, shopkeepers and delivery drivers.
Both draw on the original 2CV’s emphasis on simplicity and practicality, but their future prospects are quite different.
Electric 2CV targets a low starting price
The passenger-car concept measures 3.76 metres long and is designed around the principles that made the original 2CV successful: affordability, practicality and straightforward transport rather than performance or luxury.
Citroën is targeting a starting price of around €15,000 and plans to manufacture the production car in Europe. That is approximately £12,700 at recent exchange rates, although the eventual UK price could be considerably different once taxes, specification and other costs are taken into account.
The production model is expected by 2028, but Citroën has yet to confirm UK pricing or availability.
The proposed electric 2CV comes at a time when many new cars have grown larger, heavier and more expensive. Citroën’s approach is to go in the opposite direction, focusing on a compact footprint and a target weight of around one tonne.
Its 3.76-metre length makes it shorter than the original 2CV. A lightweight design could also reduce the amount of battery capacity required, potentially helping to keep costs down.
However, Citroën has not yet announced the battery size, official driving range, charging speeds or performance figures. Those details will be crucial in establishing whether the production car can offer a practical alternative to more expensive electric models.
The planned car is intended to comply with the European E-Car regulatory framework. Its final production specification will determine how closely it follows the concept.
A familiar shape with a modern interior
The 2CV Concept retains several recognisable features of the original, including separate round headlights, a distinctive bonnet, rounded bodywork and a fabric roof.
Its bright orange exterior and light grey steel wheels give it a characterful appearance without simply reproducing the historic design.
Inside, Citroën has taken a similarly unconventional approach. The concept features a minimalist dashboard, wide seats, an eight-inch touchscreen and a detachable radio that doubles as a portable speaker.
Practical touches include a removable storage basket in place of a conventional centre console and door compartments inspired by the original 2CV’s egg-carrying brief. A fabric sunroof is intended to bring more light into the cabin.
These are concept-car features, however, and it remains to be seen which will make it into the production version.
The 2CV Fourgonnette returns as an electric van concept
Alongside the passenger car, Citroën has presented the 2CV Fourgonnette Concept, a modern reinterpretation of the small commercial van based on the original 2CV.
The historic Fourgonnette became a familiar sight on French roads, providing an affordable and practical working vehicle for small businesses, tradespeople and delivery services.
Citroën’s designers have revisited that idea with an electric concept that applies the same emphasis on usefulness, simplicity and distinctive styling to commercial vehicles.
The design study is intended to demonstrate how the character of the original van might translate to modern working life. It is conceived as the commercial counterpart to the new 2CV passenger-car concept, sharing its philosophy of keeping things simple and focusing on essential needs.
Citroën CEO Xavier Chardon described the original Fourgonnette as more than just a work tool, highlighting its place in everyday life and the distinctive character that set it apart from conventional commercial vehicles.
However, there is an important qualification: Citroën says the Fourgonnette is a design study and does not preview a future production model in the short term.
The company describes it as a passion project created by its designers, rather than a confirmed addition to the commercial vehicle range. No production timetable, price, battery specifications, payload or driving range has been announced.
While the concept may prompt interest from small businesses looking for a more characterful electric van, it should not be confused with a vehicle that customers will soon be able to order.
Can Citroën make affordable electric motoring a reality?
The passenger-car concept is the more significant of the two announcements in terms of a potential new model. At around €15,000, the proposed electric 2CV could sit among Europe’s cheapest electric cars, potentially opening up EV ownership to buyers who cannot justify the cost of a larger electric family car.
But the price remains a target rather than a confirmed retail figure. A competitive starting price would also need to be matched by acceptable real-world range, reasonable charging times and enough space and equipment for everyday use.
Citroën has not yet confirmed whether the model will be sold in the UK, or what specification British buyers could expect.
The Fourgonnette, meanwhile, is a reminder of the original 2CV’s wider role in making transport accessible, including for small businesses. For now, however, it remains an exploration of design rather than a commitment to a new electric commercial vehicle.
The original 2CV became an icon by making motoring accessible to a much wider audience. Citroën’s challenge is to apply that principle to an electric-car market where purchase price remains a significant barrier.
Whether the passenger car succeeds will depend less on its retro styling than on the finished vehicle’s price, range and everyday usability. The van concept adds an appealing second dimension to the story, but for now, only the passenger car points towards a planned production model.
Citroën 2CV Concept: what we know
- Powertrain: All-electric
- Length: 3.76 metres
- Weight target: Around one tonne
- Target starting price: Approximately €15,000
- Production timing: Expected by 2028
- Manufacturing: Planned European production
- UK price and availability: Not confirmed
- Battery, range and charging: Not yet announced
Citroën 2CV Fourgonnette Concept: what we know
- Type: Electric commercial-vehicle design study
- Inspiration: The original Citroën 2CV Fourgonnette
- Purpose: A contemporary interpretation of a practical, accessible small van
- Production plans: No short-term production model announced
- Price, payload, battery and range: Not announced
Source: Citroën / Stellantis, Paris Motor Show 2026.
