New 2021 Citroen e-Berlingo EV on sale now from £29,575

The pure-electric Citroen e-Berlingo MPV is available to order in the UK now, with prices starting from £29,575 including the government’s £2,500 grant. 

First deliveries will arrive in October, with the new Citroen e-Berlingo providing renewed competition for the likes of the Nissan e-NV200 Combi and all-new Renault Kangoo.

The e-Berlingo line-up is separated into two trim-levels, called Feel and Flair XTR. The entry-level model comes with 16-inch steel wheels, LED daytime running lights, rear parking sensors, automatic headlights, electric door mirrors and Citroen’s Airbump body cladding.

Inside, buyers get green fabric upholstery, folding rear tray tables and a split-folding second row bench. There’s also an eight-inch infotainment system and a host of standard driver assistance technology, such as active lane keeping assist and active safety braking.

Feel models are also available in two wheelbases, called M or XL, and as the battery pack is mounted under the MPV’s floor, this new electric variant offers the same level of space inside as combustion-engined Berlingo models.

The five-seat short wheelbase model has a boot capacity of 775 litres, while the seven-seat, long wheelbase XL variant can swallow up to 1,050 litres. The latter option adds an extra £2,000 to the MPV’s starting price, though.

Like the standard Berlingo, the EV’s front passenger seat can also be folded flat, allowing items up to 3,050mm long to be carried inside the vehicle (on XL models). The parcel shelf can also support up to 25kg, while the cabin offers plenty of storage areas, which have a combined capacity of 167 litres.

Citroen’s range-topping e-Berlingo Flair XTR is priced from £34,725, including the grant. It features a handful of bold styling tweaks, such as 17-inch alloy wheels, black roof rails and door mirrors, orange fog lamp surrounds and orange highlights for its Airbump panels.

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There’s some extra equipment inside, too. Buyers get a 10-inch digital gauge cluster and a connected navigation system which adds live traffic updates. There’s also a 180-degree reversing camera and an emergency assist system, which connects the driver with a trained advisor in the event of an accident or a breakdown.

It’s powered by the Stellantis Group’s familiar EV powertrain, which is found in everything from the Peugeot e-208 to the Vauxhall Vivaro-e. It features a 50kWh battery, which sends its energy to a 134bhp electric motor on the front axle. Claimed range stands at 174 miles

Like all of Citroen’s EVs, the e-Berlingo features three drive modes: Eco, Normal and Power. The first limits the powertrain’s output to just 80bhp and dials back the heating and air-conditioning system to help conserve power. The second ups the motor’s output to 107bhp, which Citroen says is best suited to every-day use.

Power mode unlocks the drivetrain’s full 134bhp output, which Citroen says is helpful when carrying heavy loads. There’s also a fourth setting for the powertrain. This ‘B’ mode ramps up the level of regenerative braking to such a degree that you can drive around rarely needing to use the brake pedal.

The e-Berlingo’s 50kWh battery pack can be recharged in around 7.5 hours using a 7.4kW wallbox. However, when connected to a 100kW DC rapid charger the MPV can be recharged from zero to 80 per cent of the battery’s capacity in just 30 minutes. Citroen also guarantees that the battery pack will retain at least 70 per cent of its capacity for the first eight years of ownership.

What does the Citroen e-Berlingo have to beat? Check out our review of the Nissan e-NV200 Combi here…