Good news and very bad news for Citroën’s electric cars

The future of mobility is electric, and Citroën is moving in this direction by making electric vehicles more attractive. However, this progress is tempered by a controversial choice that could mitigate the progress made.

The switch to electric has been hampered by a variety of factors, including limited battery range and charging time. Fortunately, these problems have gradually been overcome with improved battery technologies, increased charging speeds and the growth of the network of charging stations.

Beyond battery and charging advancements, in-vehicle planners play a critical role. By calculating journeys taking into account the remaining range, consumption and available charging stations, these tools have made electric driving easier.

The arrival of e-ROUTES by Citroën: a positive step

Citroën is finally taking steps to follow this trend with the e-ROUTES application, which will be deployed on the ë-C4 and ë-C4 X from October. This application represents a significant advance in the facilitation of electric driving.

The e-ROUTES by Free2move Charge application offers reliable and personalized planning solutions.

Based on an advanced routing algorithm and real-time analysis of vehicle data, it enables scalable real-time management of journeys and charging.

Despite this progress, Citroën has chosen to make e-ROUTES chargeableincluding the application in the CONNECT PLUS Pack available for 12 months for new buyers of ë-C4 and ë-C4 X. This decision is all the more disappointing as free applications such as ABRP and Chargemap offer similar services.

One step forward, one step back

Citroën-owner Stellantis Group is already behind when it comes to infotainment, especially compared to brands like Tesla, Renault (Google Automotive) and Volvo (Google Automotive).

Citroën’s initiative with e-ROUTES is therefore as encouraging as it is disappointing. By facilitating the planning of electrical routes, it represents a significant advance. But by paying for this essential service, Citroën risks undermining the enthusiasm around this advance. At a time when the adoption of electric vehicles is crucial, it is unfortunate to see practices that could hinder rather than encourage this movement towards a cleaner and more sustainable future.