One of the world’s most recognisable cars is making a long overdue comeback. And this time it will run on batteries.

Citroen has confirmed it will revive the legendary 2CV some 80 years after the original first hit the road.

The 1948 rudimentary French runabout, affectionately nicknamed the ‘tin snail’ because of its rounded shape and famously leisurely performance, became a symbol of affordable motoring and achieved cult status around the globe.

More than 5.1 million examples were sold worldwide, including 1.2 million vans. Add in related models such as the Ami, Dyane and Mehari and total production can be counted beyond nine million vehicles.

Many were even built in Britain, at a factory in Slough, during the 1950s.

On Sunday, the French carmaker announced a new one will arrive in 2028 promised to cost just £13,000.

Citroen previewed how it’s going to look with this ‘near-production’ concept displayed at this week’s Paris Motor Show.

In a nod to one of the original model’s design brief, it even features a storage panel in the driver’s door for a dozen eggs.

The Citroen 2CV, arguably one of the world’s most recognisable cars – is set for an unlikely comeback – and this time it’ll run on batteries

Daily Mail and This is Money Motoring Editor Rob Hull pictured with the 2CV Concept on the eve of the Paris Motor Show 2026

The story goes that Citroen bosses before the Second World War wanted a car capable of transporting French farmers across a freshly-ploughed field without breaking a basket of eggs. It also needed to be cheap to buy, sip fuel and be simple enough for anyone to maintain.

While the first TPV (Toute Petite Voiture, meaning very small car) design was penned in 1936 with Michelin, prototypes were hidden away when conflict broke out, delaying its availability by more than a decade.

Many were even built in Britain, at Citroen’s former factory in Slough, during the 1950s.

The reborn version promises to stay true to its principles, with Citroen describing it as an ‘electric, minimalist, affordable, compact and ingenious’ vehicle designed to make everyday journeys fun again.

The 2CV was originally designed in 1936 to enable a farmer and family to cross a freshly ploughed field with a basket full of eggs without breaking them

Prototypes of the original 2CV were hidden away during WW2 before 9million were sold between 1948 and 1990

Citroen says the name will be reborn as an EV but stay true to the 2CVs principles and ‘make everyday journeys fun again’

A very, very early preview 

An early concept revealed on the eve of the Paris Motor Show on Sunday previewed a design packed with nods to the original, from its bulbous styling to its minimalist interior.

The timing of its return is no coincidence.

Having watched rival Renault score a major hit with retro-inspired electric models including the award-winning 5 E-Tech, Citroen is now looking to cash in on its own rich back catalogue as competition from new Chinese manufacturers intensifies.

The company describes the 2CV Concept as a ‘radically contemporary interpretation’ of the original and says the production version will remain faithful to the values that made the car such a success.

Citroen boss Xavier Chardon said bringing back the 2CV is about far more than simply recreating a classic.

‘It’s about reinventing what made it unique: its simplicity, its accessibility and the freedom it offered,’ he says.

Citroen CEO Xavier Chardon told us the concept is ‘very, very, very close to the real car’ that arrives in 2028

Gilles Vidal, head of design at Stellantis, says the 2CV Concept is ‘very close to production’ and the showroom version ‘will look even better than the concept car’

Citroen’s parent company Stellantis showcased the 2CV Concept at its invite-only event in Paris the night before the doors opened to the motor show

The new model is expected to qualify for Europe’s proposed M1E Class category for electric vehicles measuring less than 4.2m in length. 

While the regulations are still being finalised, with qualifying cars expected to earn ‘CO2 super-credits’ for manufacturers tasked with adhering to the EU’s carbon reduction targets. 

That means the 2CV will avoid classification as a light quadricycle like the current Ami and instead offer a more usable driving range of around 150 miles.

Chardon told us it will have a battery range that almost matches the original’s distance on a brimmed fuel tank, which was around 180 miles. 

He also confirmed that it would have a top speed of 81mph (130khm) so that it can be used on motorways in the UK and Europe. 

The new 2CV is expected to arrive in 2028 with a starting price of less than €15,000, which could translate to under £13,000 in Britain

Having watched rival Renault score a major hit with retro-inspired electric models including the award-winning 5 E-Tech, Citroen is now looking to cash in on its own rich back catalogue

In a nod to one of the original car’s most famous design requirements, it even features a storage compartment designed to carry eggs.

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Keeping costs down remains a major priority.

The 2CV is expected to share technology and underpinnings with a sister model from Fiat, helping Citroen hit its ambitious low-price target.

‘This concept car will be very, very, very close to the real car,’ Chardon says.

At 3.76m long, the prototype is actually 10cm shorter than the original 2CV.

‘This is a deliberate choice to recapture the pleasure and agility of small cars, whilst making driving and parking easier,’ the company says.

It will also tip the scales at less than a tonne, reducing strain on the battery and helping to keep costs under control.

Visually, the concept leaves little doubt about its inspiration.

At the front, round eye-shaped LED headlamps sit proudly above the bulging wheelarches, while creases in the bonnet echo the styling of the pre-Second World War TVP.

The curved roofline, flat side glass and sculpted door handles are all unmistakably 2CV, while chunky 19-inch steel wheels feature Michelin tyres with contrasting white branding and Citroen’s signature chevrons.

It even features air vents below the windscreen that – like the original – can be manually operated using a circular pulley handle on the dashboard. 

At the front, rounded LED headlamps sit proudly above the bulbous wheelarches, while subtle creases in the bonnet echo the styling of the 1936 design penned with Michelin

‹ Slide me ›

At 3.76 metres long, the prototype is actually shorter than the original 2CV. ‘This is a deliberate choice to recapture the pleasure and agility of small cars, whilst making driving and parking easier,’ the company says

Round eye-shaped LED headlamps sit proudly above the bulbous wheelarches, while subtle creases in the bonnet echo the styling of the pre-WW2 TVP, or Toute Petite Voiture

The Citroen 2CV sold over five million units – it was France’s car that put the world on wheels

At the rear, the flat tailgate is finished in contrasting black paint against the striking orange bodywork with a traditional twist handle door release to access the luggage compartment. 

Even the number plate pays tribute to the car’s heritage, displaying its various nicknames from around the world.

Practicality remains central to the design, too.

The bumpers can easily be removed and replaced after minor knocks, while the largely flat body panels should keep manufacturing and repair costs low.

Another charming touch is the roll-back fabric roof surrounded by string lights, though the latter may prove a step too far for the production version due in two years’ time.

Gilles Vidal, head of design at Citroen’s parent company Stellantis says the 2CV Concept is ‘very close to production’ and the showroom version ‘will look even better than the concept’.

Inside, the minimalist approach continues.

There is no conventional dashboard. Instead, the single-spoke steering wheel connects to a cylindrical housing that incorporates an eight-inch infotainment display and the drive selector and starter button on a stalk.

The starter button bears the words ‘en avant!’ – French for ‘forward’ or ‘onwards’.

The lighting and indicator controls are mounted on an antenna, while a tiny Smart Vision display behind the wheel serves as the instrument cluster.

There is no conventional dashboard. Instead, the single-spoke steering wheel connects to a cylindrical housing that incorporates an eight-inch infotainment display

Like the original 2CV, the concept has a roll-back fabric roof, though it’s 0illuminated by string lights. That may prove a step too far for the production version due in 2028

Bright colours and minimalist design features throughout, including material straps for the door handles

The lighting and indicator controls are mounted on an antenna, while a tiny Smart Vision display behind the wheel serves as the instrument cluster

There is no traditional centre console either. In its place sits a removable storage basket, while fabric straps replace conventional door handles.

And in another throwback to simpler times, there are no integrated door speakers. Instead, a removable radio is mounted beneath the dashboard.

Chardon says a yellow and white interior like the concept will definitely be available in an effort to make the 2CV ‘colourful and joyous’.

He told the Daily Mail and This is Money: ‘It won’t have a glovebox but it will have the basket. We also want to keep the radio you can remove.

‘We really want to stick to the car that we have shown, and of course with a canvas roof. This may not be available on the entry version but it will be part of the program.’ 

Citroen has even recreated some of the original car’s character.

The horn and electric motor start-up sounds are inspired by those of the classic 2CV, while the numbers 48 / 90 / 26 etched into the windscreen commemorate the original’s 1948 launch, the end of production in 1990 and the unveiling of this concept in 2026.

Another sweet detail is hidden in the footwell: a tortoise motif on the brake pedal and a rabbit on the accelerator.

Fans of the iconic French runabout will now be hoping Citroen resists the temptation to water down the concept’s charm when it finally reaches production.

The company insists the finished car will be a ‘more accessible, lighter and more essential electric car that puts freedom and pleasure back at the heart of mobility’.

And if the concept is anything to go by, one of motoring’s greatest icons could be about to stage a very successful second act.

Citroen added: ‘A new 2CV, faithful to the spirit of the original but resolutely focused on the uses and challenges of tomorrow. Because an icon cannot be copied. It must be reinvented.’