Citroen takes the Paris Motor Show by storm with retro-inspired 2 CV concept

Citroen is targeting some of the cheapest EVs on sale with its revived 2 CV The small electric car borrows some of the original’s much-loved features European brands are leaning heavily into their back catalogues in a bid to fend off Chinese rivals Loved by French farmers, who transported eggs across rutted fields without incident during the 1940s, and adored by large swathes of the European car-buying public for its no-frills approach to multi-tasking motoring, the Citroen 2 CV now enjoys almost cult status among classic car enthusiasts.

Like Renault’s recent resurrection of both the Renault 5 and more blue-collared Renault 4 , Citroen hopes it can tap into the trend for automotive nostalgia with an incredibly cheap EV that’s capable of wearing multiple motoring hats.

Citroen’s CEO Xavier Chardon stated that the company hopes to sell a production version of its visually arresting concept for around $15,000 when it reaches dealers in 2028, which would work out to roughly £13,500, making the 2 CV potentially the UK and Europe’s cheapest electric vehicle.

To do this, the French firm is developing an all-new electric car platform that it hopes a number of small models will eventually sit on, reducing production costs and enabling it to pass on those savings to the consumer. @flatoutmagazine The new Citroen 2CV unveiled at the Paris Motor Show 2026.

A homage to the original but Citroen plans to sell this for around €15,000 (£13,500) when it goes on sale in 2028. ♬ original sound - Dj "S" There is no word on what will power the electric 2 CV, although we can assume it will be in a similar battery ballpark to Renault’s latest Twingo , which uses a diminutive 28kWh LFP pack for a 157-mile range.

However, Chardon revealed that its engineers are busy shaving kilos off its current crop of electric cars, with the goal of selling an electric 2 CV that weighs "less than a tonne".

That would make it lighter than any electric car currently on sale, and could drastically increase its range.

What’s more, the company is bucking the trend for creeping footprints, as the modern 2 CV is actually shorter than its predecessor, at just 3.76m in length.

Analysis: better in the flesh Citroen Citroen Citroen Citroen Citroen Citroen While the 2 CV is still just a concept for now, there are some clever design elements that make the interior look and feel much larger than it actually is.

There’s no traditional dashboard, for a start, while both the front and back seats look more like a garden bench than something you’d find inside a vehicle.

A removable wicker storage basket at the front is probably the most French thing since Renault offered a baguette holder in the R5.