Citroen has launched the e-Berlingo Electric in the UK, a battery-powered version of its van-based MPV with a 174-mile range and prices starting from £29,575 on the road.
Is it as practical as it looks?
Much like the regular Berlingo, the electric model comes in both short (M) and long (XL) versions. The former can accommodate five people and, with its third row of seats, the XL can seat seven.
Boot space is plentiful, as the Berlingo’s van-like shape suggests it will be. Space in the M comes in at 775 litres with the seats in place and 3,500 litres when the seats are folded away; luggage space in the XL with the seats up is a massive 1,050 litres and a cavernous 4,500 litres when the rear seating is folded down. Another 26 different storage compartments in the cabin provide an additional 167 litres of stowage. The underfloor battery pack doesn’t intrude on the space inside.
As such, the e-Berlingo is spacious enough for pretty much anything a family could throw at it.
As for the exterior, the “Airbumps” along the side provide extra protection against stray shopping trolleys and carelessly-opened doors.
What’s powering it?
Driving the e-Berlingo is the familiar Stellantis electric powertrain as seen in cars such as the Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Vivaro-e. A 50kWh battery provides power to a 136hp electric motor driving the front wheels. This gives the e-Berlingo a range of 174 miles between charges.
On the go, the battery is capable of 100kW DC fast charging with an 80% recharge theoretically taking 30 minutes. Using the e-Berlingo’s standard 7.4kW on-board AC charger, a full recharge takes 7 hours and 30 minutes, though with the optional 11kW charger that reduces to 4 hours and 45 minutes.
What are the tech levels like?
That depends on the chosen trim, as the e-Berlingo is available in two levels: Feel and Flair XTR.
Feel, which is available on both M and XL models, includes an 8.0-inch touchscreen, Bluetooth, DAB radio plus Android Auto and Apple CarPlay.
All models come with a full line-up of safety and driver assistance systems as part of the Citroen Safety Pack. This includes active lane keeping assist, active safety braking, cruise control with a speed limiter and speed limit recognition and recommendation, as well as a system to detect driver fatigue.
Flair XTR is only available on the e-Berlingo M and adds, on top of the Feel spec, a 180-degree reversing camera, a 10-inch digital instrument cluster, head-up display and Citroen’s Connect Nav system with real-time traffic updates and connected services. There are a few additional exterior XTR styling elements too, such as black roof bars, black door mirrors and orange accents.
How much does it cost?
Once government EV grants are taken into account, prices for the e-Berlingo Electric in Feel trim start from £29,575 on the road for the five-seat M model and £31,575 for the seven-seat XL. The higher-spec Flair XTR costs £33,970.
What this means for you
This is an extremely niche car. But it is massively appealing if you want the versatility of an MPV and a van combined, with zero emissions driving.
The Citroen e-Berlingo Electric is an extremely practical, affordable and family-friendly entry-point into electric motoring and is a keen rival for the Renault Kangoo electric and other van-based MPVs.
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Further reading
>> Our full Citroen Berlingo review
>> The best electric SUVs 2021
