The original Citroën 2 CV wasn’t famous for being fast, luxurious or particularly attractive. It became famous because ordinary people could afford one, repair it and use it for almost anything.
Citroën wants to bring that idea back.
Its new 2 CV Concept, unveiled for the 2026 Paris Motor Show, previews a small electric car expected to reach production by 2028. The company is aiming for a starting price of around €15,000.
That’s probably the most interesting number attached to the entire project.
At 3.76 metres long, the concept is actually shorter than the original 2 CV. Citroën also wants the production car to weigh approximately one tonne, which would be unusually modest for a modern electric vehicle.
The reasoning is simple. Less weight means less battery capacity is needed for everyday driving, potentially keeping both costs and energy consumption down.
Citroën hasn’t announced the battery size or driving range.
Instead, the company has concentrated on making the car inexpensive to build and easier to repair. The bumpers, for example, are separate from the bodywork and can be replaced individually.
That’s a refreshingly practical detail.
Modern cars have become expensive to repair partly because seemingly minor damage can involve complicated assemblies. A simple bumper shouldn’t require an enormous workshop bill.
The design includes plenty of references to the old 2 CV, although Citroën hasn’t attempted a faithful reproduction.
There are playful details inside, too.
The brake pedal carries a tortoise symbol, while the accelerator gets a rabbit. The door compartments are even designed to hold eggs, recalling the original car’s famously practical development brief.
Michelin has developed special tyres with a chevron pattern and technology intended to monitor tyre condition.
The concept also reproduces familiar 2 CV sounds when the electric motor starts and when the horn is used.
Not every detail will necessarily survive production.
The important part is where Citroën plans to position the car. It will sit between the tiny Ami and the larger C3, offering something more substantial than a basic urban runabout without becoming another expensive electric hatchback.
European production is planned, with the car being developed around future E-Car regulations.
A €15,000 target isn’t a confirmed showroom price, of course. There’s still plenty of engineering work between a concept and a car, customers can actually order.
But Citroën has identified a problem worth solving.
The original 2 CV succeeded by giving people what they needed without charging them for things they didn’t.
If its electric successor manages the same trick, the famous name might finally have a reason to return.
