The age of electric vehicles has already returned a few legendary nameplates to the road, some more authentically than others. One more appears to be mounting a comeback, as a report claims that Citroen is in the early stages of resurrecting the iconic 2CV. While the company hasn’t officially confirmed the project just yet, “preliminary design work” is said to be underway, per Autocar.
Citroen has denied claims of the 2CV’s return in the past. However, Autocar reports that Citroen’s interest was recently piqued after observing the public response to the new Renault 5. (I recently saw one in France and can confirm it looks spectacular.) Renault’s electric retro-hatchback is crushing the sales sheet month after month in its domestic market, and Citroen seems to want a piece of that pie. Thankfully, it also has an old, celebrated nameplate to cut itself a slice with.
Earlier this month at the 2025 Brussels Motor Show, Citroen design boss Pierre Leclercq told Autocar that not only is a 2CV revival possible—a retro design is, too. “The things you remember from Citroën is not especially that you want to redo the shape of the vehicles that have been good,” the executive was quoted. “But we’re not closing the door.”
There are plenty of question marks surrounding a potential deux chevaux comeback, but the biggest one is cost. The 2CV was always a cheap car—that was the whole point. It was supposed to mobilize postwar France by giving the everyman access to a reliable, durable automobile that could be used for anything from commuting to farm work.
Of course, Citroen could struggle to make the 2CV affordable, presuming it has an electric powertrain like the popular Renault 5. Fortunately, the company’s Smart Car platform, which underpins Euro-market city cars like the Citroen C3 and Fiat Grande Panda, can accommodate both internal-combustion and electric drive, offering some flexibility. Considering that the 2CV always had quite a long hood, it might make sense to stuff a small gas engine under there.
If a new Citroen 2CV is in the works, when could it arrive? The original car’s 80th anniversary is coming in 2028, leaving Citroen space for a four-year developmnent cycle. Naturally, we’re wondering if there’s any chance it could land in the States. Citroen is part of Stellantis, so it’s technically possible, though Fiat’s recent efforts with the electric 500 haven’t exactly sent American car shoppers running to showrooms.
I love the 2CV; I’ve wanted one for years. While nothing’s official just yet, this report may well be the closest Citroen’s ever come to reviving the model. That’s enough hope for me.
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