Summary
The Citroën ë-Berlingo is an electric van-based people carrier that first arrived on UK roads in 2021. It is the EV version of the regular Berlingo people carrier that has recently been discontinued, and is nearly identical to the likes of the Peugeot e-Rifter and Vauxhall Combo-e Life.
As part of parent company Stellantis’ EV strategy, all of the company’s passenger vans are now electric-only (although petrol and diesel are still available for regular commercial vans).
Described as “thoroughly decent” by Autocar‘s Steve Cropley, the ë-Berlingo has been widely praised for its practicality and relaxing driving experience, but frequently criticised for its rather short battery range of 174 miles.
Darren Wilson of Auto Express argues that the ë-Berlingo is the “ideal car for a family with a small business”, as its more spacious inside than similarly-priced SUVs and estate cars, and it is both cheap and quiet to run. The Telegraph‘s Alex Robbins adds that this electric people carrier’s price is “reasonable, albeit not an outright bargain”.
“Just be aware that its van origins mean it won’t have as fancy an interior as some rivals”, What Car? explains, “and that the Vauxhall Combo-e Life is better value overall.”
As of September 2023, the Citroën ë-Berlingo currently holds an Expert Rating of 63%, based on 13 reviews published by the UK motoring media.
ë-Berlingo highlights
- Quiet zero-emission driving
- Spacious and practical interior
- Well-equipped as standard
- Plenty of boot space
ë-Berlingo lowlights
- Comparatively short range
- More expensive than diesel-powered Berlingo
- Some electric rivals are slightly better value
- Fiddly infotainment
Key specifications
Body style: People carrier
Engines: electric, battery-powered
Price: From £29,315 on-road
Launched: Summer 2021
Last updated: N/A
Replacement due: TBA
Image gallery
Media reviews
Reviews, road test and comparisons from across the UK automotive media. Click any of the boxes to view.
Auto Express
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“It’s extremely practical, with loads of room, simple folding seats and three Isofix points. It’s cheap to run and ideal for shorter daily journeys around town.”
Read review
Autocar
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 6 / 10
“In sum, it’s a thoroughly decent vehicle, but its bandwidth of usability is restricted. Its accommodation is brilliant but its shortage of range will be a bind for many.”
Read review
Business Car
Model reviewed: Range overview
“The ë-Berlingo still feels beefy on the road due to its sheer size, but the instant torque and quiet operation of its electric powertrain certainly helps mask its van DNA – and overall, it is quite lovely to drive.”
Read review
Carbuyer
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7.4 / 10
“The Citroen e-Berlingo MPV was very ‘no-frills’ before, but now has a surprisingly nice interior, lots of kit and Citroen’s latest safety features.”
Read review
Discover EV
Model reviewed: Feel XL 50kWh
Score: 7 / 10
“If you want spaciousness, modularity, comfort and an easy drive experience, the Citroën ë-Berlingo is perfect. But – and it is a big but – the modest range limits its effectiveness as practical family transport. It’s fine as a second car, but where the combustion-engined Berlingo was popular for long family holidays and road trips, this electric version doesn’t cut it with the infrastructure as it stands.”
Read review
Driving Electric
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 7 / 10
“The Citroen e-Berlingo is a spacious, practical electric family car, but doesn’t do much to distinguish its cabin from the van it’s based on.”
Read review
Green Car Guide
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Citroen e-Berlingo is to be welcomed because it offers another choice for people wanting an electric vehicle, and it’s one of the more affordable EVs. It can seat five or seven, and it offers lots of luggage space, so it’s practical. Because it’s electric, it’s much better to drive than an equivalent petrol or diesel vehicle.”
Read review
Motoring Research
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“Put simply, no car at this end of the market is so very useful. Well, apart from the platform-sharing Peugeot Rifter and Vauxhall Combo Life. Which have also gone all-electric…”
Read review
Move Electric
Model reviewed:
Score: 8 / 10
“Passenger versions of electric vans might not seem the most exciting form of future mobility, but they have an awful lot to recommend when it comes to practicality. And as a workhorse second car for relatively short journeys – that is capable of longer journeys with a bit of planning – there is plenty to like about the Citroën ë-Berlingo.” (James Attwood)
Read review
Parkers
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“If you can appreciate function over form, the e-Berlingo makes a terrific family car. It’s not terribly expensive by electric car standards yet offers an exceedingly practical interior with enough room for four or more adults.”
Read review
The Telegraph
Model reviewed: M Flair XTR
Score: 8 / 10
“It doesn’t come cheap, this electric Berlingo, and you’d want this top-spec version, otherwise it just feels a bit too bare-bones. But when compared to its rivals, its price is reasonable, albeit not an outright bargain, given they tend to offer more in the way of range.”
Read review
Top Gear
Model reviewed: Range overview
“If ever there was a car – indeed, one with such an emphasis on practicality – that needed a long range for families to do big trips then this is it. It’s a real shame as I feel it’s going to hold this car back.”
Read review
What Car?
Model reviewed: Range overview
Score: 8 / 10
“The Citroën e-Berlingo electric van-based MPV is streets ahead of the outdated Nissan e-NV200 in terms of both range and performance. It’s peaceful to drive and few others can beat it for practicality. Just be aware that its van origins mean it won’t have as fancy an interior as some rivals, and that the Vauxhall Combo-e Life is better value overall.”
Read review
Safety rating
Independent crash test and safety ratings from Euro NCAP
Overall score: 4 stars
Date tested: August 2018
Read the full Euro NCAP review
Adult protection: 91%
Child protection: 81%
Vulnerable road users: 58%
Safety assist: 68%
The Citroën ë-Berlingo has not specifically been crash tested by Euro NCAP, but the combustion-powered Berlingo people carrier its based on has. Euro NCAP decided in September 2022 to extend the Berlingo’s four-star safety rating to the ë-Berlingo, as both models are structurally identical.
Eco rating
Independent economy and emissions ratings from Green NCAP
No eco rating
As of September 2023, the Citroën ë-Berlingo has not been lab tested by Green NCAP.
Reliability rating
Reliability data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by MotorEasy
No reliability rating
As of September 2023, we don’t have enough reliability data on the Citroën ë-Berlingo to generate a reliability rating.
The Car Expert’s reliability information is provided exclusively to us using extended warranty data from our partner, MotorEasy. As soon as MotorEasy has sufficient data on the ë-Berlingo, we’ll publish the score here.
Running cost rating
Monthly cost of ownership data provided exclusively for The Car Expert by Clear Vehicle Data
| Battery range | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 172 miles | C | 167 – 177 miles | C – C |
| Electrical efficiency | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| EV models | 3.4 m/KWh | E | 3.3 – 3.5 m/KWh | D – E |
| Insurance group | Average | Score | Variation | Score |
| All models | 10 | A | 10 – 10 | A – A |
| Service and maintenance | Cost | Score |
| Year 1 | £100 | A |
| Year 2 | £270 | A |
| Year 3 | £410 | A |
| Year 4 | £571 | A |
| Year 5 | £798 | A |
| Overall | £2,149 | A |
The Citroën ë-Berlingo should be a relatively affordable car to own and run, according to whole-life cost data provided exclusively to The Car Expert by our technical partner, Clear Vehicle Data.
Electrical efficiency (the EV equivalent of miles per gallon for petrol and diesel cars) isn’t good, which means you don’t get as much range out of the battery as a more efficient vehicle would.
However, other costs are excellent. The insurance group is one of the lowest you’ll find anywhere, which will help to keep you annual premium down, while servicing and maintenance costs for the first five years are also excellent compared to most cars on sale today.
Similar cars
If you’re looking at the Citroën ë-Berlingo, you might also be interested in these alternatives
Mercedes-Benz EQT | Nissan e-NV200 Combi | Peugeot e-Rifter | Toyota Proace City Electric | Vauxhall Combo Life Electric | Volkswagen ID. Buzz
More information
More news, reviews and information about the Citroën Berlingo family at The Car Expert
Buy a Citroën ë-Berlingo
If you’re looking to buy a new or used Citroën ë-Berlingo, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find the right car
Find your next used car with Motors.co.uk. Find out more
Find your next used car with Cazoo. Find out more
Find your next new or used car with Auto Trader. Find out more
Find your next new or used car with Carwow. Find out more
Lease a Citroën ë-Berlingo
If you’re looking to lease a new Citroën ë-Berlingo, The Car Expert’s partners can help you find a competitive deal
Personal contract hire deals from Carparison Leasing. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Rivervale Leasing. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from LeaseLoco. Find out more
Personal contract hire deals from Ready2Lease. Find out more
Subscribe to a Citroën ë-Berlingo
If you’re interested in a car subscription, The Car Expert’s partners can help (PS: What’s a car subscription?)
Electric car subscriptions from Elmo.
Find out more
Car subscriptions from Mycardirect.
Find out more
