Citroen E-C3 vs Tiago EV, Tigor EV: Which affordable EV suits your budget?

The choice among India's most affordable electric cars has widened after French auto giant Citroen drove in its first EV to the country on Monday, February 27. The E-C3 electric hatchback with SUV styling has been launched at an introductory price of ₹11.50 lakh. This is the third electric car in India available under the ₹12 lakh bracket, which also includes the likes of Tata Tiago EV and Tigor EV. While the E-C3 was believed to take on Tiago EV as India's most affordable electric vehicle, Citroen's pricing pitches it more against the Tigor EV. Here is a quick comparison of the price structure between the three models for those looking for an affordable EV.

Watch: Citroen eC3 review - Worthy challenger to Tata Tiago EV?

Citroen E-C3 prices start from ₹11.50 lakh (ex-showroom). It is more expensive than most variants of the Tata Tiago EV. The price of the Tiago EV, after the introductory prices were withdrawn earlier this year, starts from ₹8.69 lakk (ex-showroom). It remains India's most affordable electric car. The only variants of the Tiago EV that is more expensive than Citroen E-C3's entry-level variant are the top-end versions which come with 7.2 kW chargers.

Citroen E-C3 variants	Price (in ex-showroom)	Tata Tiago EV variants	Price (in ex-showroom)	Tata Tigor EV variants	Price (in ex-showroom)
Live	11.50 lakh	XE MR	8.69 lakh	XE	12.49 lakh
Feel	12.13 lakh	XT MR	9.29 lakh	XT	12.99 lakh
Feel Vibe Pack	12.28 lakh	XT LR	10.19 lakh	XZ+	13.49 lakh
Feel Vibe Pack dual tone	12.43 lakh	XZ + LR	10.99 lakh	XZ+ Lux	13.75 lakh
		XZ + Tech Lux LR	11.49 lakh
		XZ+ LR (7.2 kW charger)	11.49 lakh
		XZ+ Tech Lux LR (7.2 kW charger)	11.99 lakh

Citroen offers the E-C3 in four variants which include Live, Feel, Feel Vibe Pack and the top-end dual-tone version of the Feel Vibe Pack. Tata Motors also offers the Tigor EV sedan in four variants which include XE, XT, XZ+ and XZ+ Lux. If one compares variant with variant, the E-C3 appears a more affordable option than the Tigor EV.

The price of the Tata Tigor EV starts from ₹12.49 lakh (ex-showroom), almost ₹one lakh more expensive than the base variant of the Citroen E-C3. Tigor EV's top-end variant, which costs ₹13.75 lakh (ex-showroom), is around ₹1.32 lakh more expensive. While the Tigor EV is packed with a slightly smaller battery pack, it offers almost similar range to what Citroen E-C3 offers. Both EVs come with a 3.3 kW charger that can fully recharge them within an hour using a DC fast charger.