Citroen C1 ev'ie road test
Written By Lee Sibbald Published On: Jun 24 2009
There’s a lot of scepticism about electric cars, not helped by the fact that the most commonplace model in the UK is the GoinGreen G-Wiz – which is less an electric car, more of a quadricylcing accident waiting to happen. However, things are looking up for drivers who don’t want to lose any pleasure in driving, with the launch of the Citroen C1 ev’ie, an emissions-free version of the French carmaker’s class-leading city car. Because that’s what ev’ie is – a C1 that just happens to have had its internal combustion engine removed and replaced with an electric powertrain by The Electric Car Corporation (ECC).
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The ev’ie has exactly the same steering and suspension set-up as the standard C1, so there are no surprises in the ride and handling departments. The ride is decent, feeling fairly compliant and soaking up most of the potholes and broken surfaces without too much discomfort. It handles well too, with some of the roll that the C1 experiences under heavy cornering no longer present because the 60mph top end means it doesn’t really go fast enough for it to be an issue. It does feel slightly heavier in the nose, thanks to the electric motor and batteries (they add around 120-160kg to the car’s kerb weight, depending on the trim level and how many doors you choose for your C1), but it’s pretty negligible. The ev’ie is also perfectly at home in city conditions, with the electric power steering, diminutive size and large windows making easy to park in any space.
Read the full Citroen C1 ev'ie road test
RoadTestReports.co.uk provides road tests reports written by members of the Guild of Motoring Writers. These reports are complemented by car reviews submitted by the members of the public who drive the vehicles day in day out.
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