• Electric e-C4 should be cheap to run
• Limited range might put some off
• Simple powertrain to keep costs down

What are the running costs?

With the same 136hp electric motor and 50kWh battery pack fitted to every version of the e-C4, the range between charges is broadly similar across the board. The official figures suggest the base model will manage 219 miles on a single charge, whereas the top-end models cut that to 217 miles.

That’s the finest of margins and shouldn’t influence your choice of trim level; in the real world, it shouldn’t make much of a difference. Speaking of the real-world range, it seems the official figure is fairly accurate if you confine yourself mainly to urban journeys, but at higher speeds it does drop more severely. Competitor models including the VW ID.3 and Kia e-Niro will offer greater distance between charges.

From our long-term testing, we reckon 170 miles between charges is an accurate real-world figure.

At least the e-C4 can charge relatively quickly. With charging speeds of up to 100kW (as long as you can find a charger that powerful), the battery can be filled to 80% in 30 minutes. For regular home charging a Type 2 charging cable is included as standard, allowing a 7.4kW public or domestic wallbox charger to reach a 100% charge in seven hours and 30 minutes.

View detailed MPG and CO2 figures on the Citroen e-C4 specs pages

Servicing and warranty

Citroen offers servicing schemes that allow customers to guarantee the cost of servicing, which could come in useful, but the e-C4 shouldn’t be costly to maintain. The standard service interval is two years or 16,000 miles, and that should keep costs down. The three-year warranty, however, isn’t especially bold; it doesn’t show the same confidence as Kia’s seven-year scheme, for example.

Reliability

• Electric motors are generally reliable
• Yet to prove its dependability
• Tried and tested mechanical components

The e-C4 is so new that it’s difficult to draw solid conclusions about its reliability. Citroen itself doesn’t have the greatest reputation, but the brand ranks above the industry average for dependability. Also consider that electric cars have fewer moving parts than their petrol- and diesel-powered counterparts and should be less prone to problems, while all the e-C4’s mechanical components are shared with cars from sister brands DS, Vauxhall and Peugeot.

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We will monitor the situation as the e-C4 ages to check whether recalls or other issues develop.