Citroën, Peugeot and Vauxhall have adjusted the pricing of their electric MPVs to lessen the blow of removing more affordable combustion variants from order.
The brands, part of the automotive group Stellantis, removed all ICE versions of their MPVs from sale in most of Europe in an effort to accelerate the group’s move to all-electric power.
With the UK government’s £1500 grant for EVs applied, the ë-Berlingo now starts at £29,495, while the larger ë-Spacetourer is now priced from £30,295.
Vauxhall has slashed pricing by as much as £3000, so the Combo-e Life now starts from £29,610 with the PiVG. The price of the larger Vivaro-e Life begins from £30,295.
The decision to continue with only electric versions of these vehicles was announced in separate statements by Citroën, Peugeot and Opel/Vauxhall, which sell the technically idential Berlingo, Combo and Partner MPVs respectively.
The group's mid-sized MPVs – the Citroën Spacetourer, Peugeot Rifter and Vauxhall Vivaro Life – will also go all-electric in the designated markets.
Business customers outside the EU and those in Switzerland and the Balkans will still be able to buy combustion-powered models, Stellantis said, and Fiat, which sells its own variants of the small and mid-sized MPVs, hasn't issued a statement on the matter.
Citroën told Autocar that converter partners – who configure the Berlingo and Spacetourer for disabled users - will still be able to order the combustion versions.
“There is no alternative to electrification. In the future, Opel will gain even more traction with environmentally friendly innovations,” said Opel CEO Uwe Hochgeschurtz.
"From 2024, we will offer an electrified version of every Opel model, without exception. In other words, the successors to the Crossland and Insignia will also be electrified. Our statement is clear: from 2028, we will exclusively sell battery-electric vehicles in Europe.”
Citroën described the decision as a “bold move” for “the benefit of customers and the environment". The Berlingo was the UK’s best-selling compact van in 2021, registering more than 12,000 units.
“This decision is the result of a responsible approach on the part of an activist brand that asserts its commitment to the energy transition and wishes to provide its customers with a solution for the future,” Citroën said.
