Citroen Mehari e-Electric is the reinterpretation of Mehari 1968, a simple and lightweight convertible with ABS plastic body. We’ve already tried.

With a image that clearly connects with the Citroën C4 Cactus design, the gala brand has resorted to manufacturer Bolloré electric car specialist to give life to a New Citroën e-Mehari, just 48 years after the release of its predecessor. The design is done by signing the two chevrons, while platform and propellant come from Bolloré extinct Blue Summer, although assembles in the Breton Group factory PSA in Rennes.

He New Citroën e-Mehari has a Lenght of 3.81 meters, a width of 1.87 m and a height of 1.65 m. as the Original Citroen Mehari, all of your bodywork It is made plastic, having the impregnation own color, making possible scratches that may occur spend more unnoticed. In addition, it has “memory effect”, which plastics are able to recover their appearance and shape deformations at low speed impacts. There are four colors available, what recall in part of Original Citroen Mehari: Orange red, turquoise, yellow and beige, which actually looks gray.

The soft top of the Citroen e-Mehari It is canvas, You can be chosen in black or orange plastic windows and lateral rear area and can be fixed by brackets. All parts are independent, so we can decide to remove the two roof, side windows, rear or back at will. Logically its insulating capacity is very limited, but we had the opportunity to get on an exposed drive in the rain and all the water that was inside was the result of opening the door to access inside. However, this is not a problem, since the waterproof upholstery, developed in TEP, you can choose beige or orange-red, endure inclement weather. It is even possible wash everything inside with a hose, sponge and soap.

He inside Citroen e-Mehari It is very simple, with a digital screen in the center with very limited information as all instrumentation. his ergonomics is somewhat particular a very high driving position, on the right gives the feeling go lower, and footwell It is, in our opinion, too flat; something that still strikes more when traveling companion. Behind there are space for two people, with little space for the legs and the head, while in the trunk we have a fairly cubic volume of 200 liters, those who join another 100 under its floor, and more irregular shapes, but can block its opening.

E-Citroen Mehari, an electric motor very successful

To propel the Citroen e-Mehari it was decided to resort to a 68 hp electric motor, It is offering great pleasure to use and adequate benefits to cope with excessive looseness for the purpose it is designed. During our test, on the island of Ibiza, all kinds of roads, some of them unpaved, has allowed us to move smoothly faster than other traffic, even on expressways. Accelerates really well up to 90 km / h, to become slightly until it reaches its remolón limited speed of 110 km / h. Unfortunately, it is not intended, nor technically possible in the future be offered with heat engine. It’s a shame, because with the gasoline engine 82 hp 1.2 PureTech would be a temptation.

He Citroen e-Mehari It has batteries lithium metal polymer (LMP), dry type, with a autonomy homologated 100 km in extraurban cycle and 200 in extraurbano. In our test route, which we will cover 100 km through all kinds of situations -autovía, broad and narrow secondary road, urban transit and in a field- 2 hours, with a high percentage of throttle, convertibles and heating almost to the maximum, which has great influence on the consumption- back with a remaining range of 17 percent. In a decision 16A It recharges hundred percent in 8 hours, while if it is 10A -the most common in households– the operation is completed in 13 hours. It is not ready for fast charging outlets already see in many of our cities.

The battery of the Citroen e-Mehari they have one good energy density, are less sensitive and while safer, but in return have a autonomy Limited to just over 48 hours without connecting to the network. It has a mode hibernation which allows it to be 3 months without charge, but to return to restart the system they have to spend about four hours, so it is not operating for the day. If we stopped the car without connecting to the network and battery charge descended 10 percent, the Bolleré group it would contact the owner to tell him that if even lower can be detrimental to it.

By dynamic behavior, he Citroen e-Mehari It is closer to what a car offers a quadricycle. The trend is clearly understeer, with an ever present intervention traction control If you do not step on the accelerator lovingly, but driving with ease while it is offering a good feeling security for their reactions. Cushioning absorbs no great quality, but has a right against bacheo comfort. Of course, it gives a sense of a large SUV, with slight lateral oscillations body on roads with bad surface. by country enjoy it even more, with better than many SUV off-road skills, with good dimensions -the height of its body to the ground is 200 mm-, and fantastic Michelin tires Latitude Cross -185 / 65R15-.

E-Citroen Mehari, have to wait

Next week and will be available in France, by 25,000 euros, with all subtracted aids -a purchases of electric and EUR 3.700 for delivering a diesel used over 10 years can be 15,000, which would add another 79 euros a month in rent batteries. For Spain They have not yet been defined and date of arrival, will be to summer, nor its price.

However the objective of Citroen e-Mehari It is to enhance the image of the range Cactus Citroën C4, because with a volume of production of 1,000 units per year across Europe, in principle more is not going to be made, it will lose the approval of short series and you have to add airbags as well as meet other measures- will not be in any if high-volume car sales. It is a concept car intended for rental companies, hotels, holiday villages and individuals who see it as second or third car for a second holiday home.

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