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PARIS — April 2, 2025 — Stellantis opened this year’s Paris Motor Show with a dramatic six-concept reveal spanning as many brands. Among the headliners was the production-bound Citroen 2CV passenger car, but Citroen went a step further by wheeling out a cargo-friendly sibling: the 2CV Fourgonnette concept. It’s a compact electric van concept that trades the usual aerodynamic futurism for the charming corrugated look of the original 1950s delivery vehicle.
The Fourgonnette name, French for “small van,” holds a special place in Citroen’s history. The original was a utilitarian spin-off of the iconic 2CV, built to serve shopkeepers, farmers, and postal workers across postwar Europe. Its light weight, simple construction, and rugged reliability made it a beloved workhorse for decades. This new concept nods directly to that legacy.
At first glance, the concept shares its entire front end with the recently unveiled 2CV passenger concept. The familiar round headlamps, curved fenders, and minimalist bumper carry over unchanged up to the B-pillars. From that point back, though, the design takes a sharp turn. Instead of the passenger car’s tapered tail, the Fourgonnette gets a tall, boxy cargo pod. The side panels are dressed with vertical vanes that mimic the classic, rippled sheet metal of the original. Even the charging port has been hidden inside a circular housing styled after the fuel-filler flap of the old model.
The rear door setup appears to be a pair of traditional barn doors, which would make loading cargo easy if the concept were built. However, there are also vertical slots cut into the lower side panels that might suggest additional access points. Citroen wasn’t ready to share official images of the cabin or load bay, and a company representative on the show floor indicated the interior is likely just a design sketch at this stage. In other words, this may be a styling exercise rather than a drivable prototype.
The lack of technical data isn’t an accident either. Citroen isn’t talking about battery size, range, or motor output. Instead, the brand wants to sell the emotional case for the van. Xavier Chardon, Citroen’s CEO, put it this way: “The 2CV Fourgonnette was more than just a workhorse. It was part of everyday life. Simple, ingenious and accessible, it above all possessed something few commercial vehicles have: a soul. That is the spirit we are bringing back to life today. Because being useful should never mean being ordinary.”
That’s a telling quote, but Citroen executives were quick to tamp down any near-term production hopes. In a statement, the company said the concept “does not preview a future production model in the short term” but “opens up new avenues for consideration.” So don’t expect to see this at a dealership next year. But the idea isn’t far-fetched given Citroen’s current lineup. The brand already sells the tiny Ami Cargo, a pure-electric micro-hauler, and the e-C3 Cargo, a slightly larger urban van. A production Fourgonnette could slot neatly between those two in terms of price and size.
From a U.S. perspective, the 2CV itself was never officially sold in America after the 1960s, and the Fourgonnette remains unknown to most American drivers. But the concept matters here because it signals a broader Stellantis strategy: affordable, personality-rich EVs that avoid the blandness of many compliance cars. That approach could influence future Ram ProMaster versions or Fiat-branded commercial EVs sold on these shores, especially as the U.S. market keeps flirting with small electric work vehicles for last-mile delivery and urban trades.
There’s also the matter of cost. The passenger 2CV concept is confirmed for production and will arrive in European showrooms by the end of 2028, with a starting price near £13,000 — roughly $17,000 depending on exchange rates. That positions it as one of the cheapest EV passenger cars on the market. If Citroen ever gave the Fourgonnette a green light, it would likely follow a similar pricing philosophy, targeting independent tradespeople and small business owners who don’t want to overspend on a delivery van.
The Paris show display also underscored how far retro-styled EVs have come. Automakers have spent years chasing aerodynamic perfection, but Citroen’s playful approach is part of a growing wave of “heritage electric” designs, such as the Fiat 500e’s retro cabin and the Honda E’s boxy, nostalgic silhouette. Citroen, though, is pushing the idea into the commercial realm, arguing that even a cargo van can carry brand charisma.
What to make of the Fourgonnette concept, then? It’s clearly a love letter to one of the brand’s most utilitarian icons. It also offers a glimpse of how Citroen might expand its affordable EV lineup without ditching its quirky identity. There are plenty of hurdles before any production version becomes real — safety regulations, crash-testing, and the simple economics of building a low-cost electric van profitably. But for now, the concept has done its job: getting people to stop and smile at a delivery vehicle.
Auto Express will bring you more details from the Paris Motor Show floor as the event continues. We’ll be digging into the 2CV concept’s production timeline and hunting for any extra specifications Citroen might have tucked away. If the Fourgonnette gets any closer to reality, you’ll hear it here first.
