According to reports, Stellantis will use a new low-cost small car platform to underpin several models, which currently serves as the foundation of the recently unveiled Citroën ë-C3.
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Stellantis revealed that it would begin the development of four new “state-of-the-art BEV-centric” vehicle platforms, namely STLA SMALL, STLA MEDIUM, STLA LARGE, and STLA FRAME. These four platforms, three unibody platforms and one body-on-frame platform, were born out of the conglomerate’s desire to offer a wider variety within its BEV stable. More recently, Stellantis featured its fifth BEV platform in the newly unveiled Citroën ë-C3, which could have been born out of the desire to combat the growing presence and continued arrival of cheap Chinese electric vehicles. This new “cost-effective” platform, referred to as the “Small Car’ platform and a descendant of the PSA Group’s Common Modular Platform, is purposed to help the firm produce and sell more affordable electric vehicles and powertrains.
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“Our global Smart Car platform is extremely efficient and we are already leveraging its capabilities outside Europe through new region-specific Citroën models in markets like India and South America. It was the ideal starting point for the all-new European ë-C3 line-up, and even though it was engineered with all-electric capability from the start, it is flexible enough to house ICE powertrains, as well as underpin larger and smaller vehicles, including SUVs.” – Laurence Hansen, Citroën Product and Strategy Director
Despite being founded on the “Small Car” platform, the new all-electric C3 features much more cabin space and a slightly larger frame (30 mm more headroom, 19 mm longer, and 6 mm wider than its predecessor). In terms of capability, the ë-C3 is powered by a 44 kWh Lithium Ferro Phosphate battery pack, allowing for a driving range of up to 320 km.
“The customer is always at the heart of Stellantis and our commitment with this €30 billion-plus investment plan is to offer iconic vehicles that have the performance, capability, style, comfort and electric range that fit seamlessly into their daily lives.” – Carlos Tavares, CEO
