Future Citroën C1: The "Eurocar" project for an electric car under €15,000

The European automotive landscape is currently navigating a major area of turbulence where sales volumes are struggling to regain their former vigor. The level of the continental market is hardly flourishing, and the price of new vehicles stands out as one of the primary obstacles to consumption. In just a few years, motorists have witnessed the near-disappearance of cars offered below the symbolic €15,000 mark, a segment that is nevertheless essential for the mobility of the general public. Citroën, whose identity is intrinsically linked to accessibility, has taken full measure of this challenge. While the double-chevron brand had been hinting for some time that it was considering a return of the Citroën C1, it now seems to be taking a decisive step. From now on, the manufacturer is no longer making a secret of its real intentions: to reinvest in the mini-city car segment with a disruptive offer.

The M1E category: The european lever for affordable electric cars

The structural decline in sales in Europe is an alarm signal for the industry, as the region is the only one in the world that has not returned to its pre-health crisis registration levels. Faced with this observation and the growing pressure from extra-European manufacturers, the European Commission has adjusted its roadmap. In December 2025, the "Automotive Package" introduced strategic relaxations. In addition to the adjustment of the 2035 objective (now set at a 90% reduction in CO₂ emissions instead of 100%), Brussels has opened the way for a new technical category named M1E.

This M1E category aims to encourage the production of compact electric cars on European soil by limiting often costly normative constraints. It concerns vehicles less than 4.20 meters long and offers a major accounting advantage: each unit sold will count as 1.3 vehicles in the manufacturers' annual carbon balance. While this measure is an incentive, offering an electric car over 4 meters long for €15,000 remains, at present, an economic utopia for engineers. It is precisely for this reason that attention is turning to a smaller format, specifically A-segment, which would more easily allow the return of a C1-type car to the Citroën range, thus meeting a real demand for economical urban mobility.

Xavier Chardon confirms Citroën's ambition in the A-segment

During a recent interview, Xavier Chardon, the CEO of Citroën, provided a lucid diagnosis of the brand's current offering. He openly admits that a vehicle is missing below the new C3 to cover all needs. Above all, he clarifies the technological direction of this future model: it will not be a four-seater "Ami+" version limited to 80 km/h. For the head of Citroën, the future lies in a real passenger vehicle, capable of succeeding the C1, whose production ended in 2022. Stellantis already has a project underway to meet this challenge.

Xavier Chardon emphasizes the complementarity of the brands within the group: "There is no point in all the Stellantis group brands addressing the same groups of customers." According to him, each entity has its own DNA. While Peugeot focuses on the C-segment and Citroën on the B and C segments with the C3 and C4, Fiat is intended to carry the A and B segments. However, Citroën remains "obviously legitimate to restart" in the C1 niche. The pool of potential customers is considered "immense," as only the Dacia Sandero still manages to offer attractive prices in internal combustion engines, while the electric offering under €20,000 remains embryonic or constrained by limited range. As is often the case within large automotive groups, it is sometimes from the technical partners, here Fiat, that the most precise information on future launches is obtained.

The Eurocar project: the alliance between Citroën and Fiat for 2028-2029

The joint project, dubbed Eurocar within the Stellantis group, is beginning to reveal its secrets. Fiat has already announced that it is aiming for a vehicle approximately 3.50 meters long, a dimension that perfectly matches the future replacements for the Panda and the Citroën C1. This model would be designed to be multi-energy, but Xavier Chardon is categorical on one point: the electric version will be more affordable than any other internal combustion or hybrid engine. This equation is explained by future Euro 7 anti-pollution standards, ecological penalties, and regulatory advantages linked to the M1E category. By integrating these parameters, electric naturally becomes the most financially competitive solution for the end customer.

However, the realization of this ambition requires patience. While the political and industrial will is clearly displayed at both Fiat and Citroën, the group still needs to stabilize the economic equation to guarantee a selling price under €15,000 without sacrificing profitability. Between the current study phase and industrial development, a market arrival before the 2028 or 2029 horizon seems unlikely. Stellantis must indeed accelerate its development cycles to respond to the competition, while securing a European value chain for its batteries and components.

Conclusion

It now appears certain, in light of the cross-statements from Citroën and Fiat, that a new car intended to replace the Citroën C1 and the Fiat Panda is being seriously considered. This project, supported by the new European M1E regulation, aims to restore the status of the popular and accessible car. While the economic equation remains the major challenge to drop below €15,000, the increasing number of announcements surrounding the Eurocar project confirms that Stellantis has made this segment a strategic priority. The group seems determined not to leave the field open to the competition in the area of electric mobility for all.