Battery size: 50kWh
Max charge rate 100kW
WLTP Range: 206 - 212 miles
Real-world range: 120 - 150 miles
Introduction
The Citroen Berlingo has been around for 30 years now, and has so far managed to carve its own path in a world obsessed with SUVs. One key reason for its continued appeal is its function-over-form approach – it's basically a Berlingo small van that has windows, seats and carpets fitted. That means it has a rugged, back-to-basics feel that makes SUVs feel contrived and compromised.
Citroen introduced a pure-electric version in 2021, called 'e-Berlingo', opening up the practical car to a previously overlooked market. A facelift in 2024 brought in Citroen's latest design, but despite the snazzier styling the e-Berlingo hasn't forgotten its rational roots. Being based on a van means enormous interior space, while the long-wheelbase 'XL' model offers seven seats.
As Volkswagen and Ford don't offer pure-electric versions of their Caddy and Tourneo Connect models, the only real direct rivals to the e-Berlingo are its sisters – the Peugeot E-Rifter, Toyota Proace City Verso EV and Vauxhall Combo Life Electric. Mercedes also recently discontinued its Renault-based EQT.
Range, battery and charging
The e-Berlingo uses Stellantis's familiar 50kWh useable (52kWh gross) battery pack, giving a range of up to 212 miles in the standard body length and 206 in the longer version. Unsurprisingly, these figures are pretty identical to its sisters, but way off electric five-seat SUVs like the Kia EV5 and seven-seaters such as the Peugeot E-5008 and Mercedes GLB Electric. Earlier e-Berlingos, before the 2024 update, had an even smaller range, with Citroen claiming up to 177 miles.
Fast charging tops out at 100kW, allowing a 20-80% charge in around 30 minutes when connected to a suitably powerful rapid charger. Home charging is taken care of via an 11kW onboard charger, meaning a full recharge can comfortably be completed overnight.
In a warm week during spring, I managed no less than 3.0 miles/kWh, which equates to a 150-mile range – that's not too bad for a vehicle that's shaped like a brick. However, I didn't test the car (which was a five-seater e-Berlingo M Max) five-up with luggage, so that efficiency figure would fall. I'd expect in the region of 140 miles in most scenarios, falling to around 120 miles in colder weather.
Practicality and boot space
This is where the e-Berlingo sticks two fingers up to SUVs. Its boxy shape may not win design awards, but it has one of the most spacious interiors available at this price point. The standard M model offers five seats, while the longer XL version adds a third row, taking capacity to seven.
Unlike many seven-seat SUVs, the rearmost seats are actually usable thanks to the e-Berlingo's generous roof height and upright proportions. Adults won't want to spend all day back there, but children will be perfectly comfortable.
Boot space is vast. The standard M offers 775 litres with all seats in place, while folding the rear seats opens up a whopping 3,000 litres that's ideal for bikes, furniture, dogs or family holiday luggage. The XL has 1,050 litres with the third row folded – tumble the second row and there's 3,500 litres.
The sliding rear doors are one of the Berlingo's biggest advantages. They make access effortless in tight car parks and are particularly useful when loading children into car seats. The front seats have tray tables on their backs, and the passenger seat can even fold to help load longer items. Plus, the top-spec Max gets an opening tailgate window, which is great for loading lighter items and means you don’t have to lift the large and heavy tailgate; it’s also worth noting the Max is the only model with electric rear windows.
If you go for the Max model it's worth paying out an extra £750 for the 'Modutop Roof' (pictured). Not only does this add a glass panoramic roof, but also a natty floating translucent panel that can be used as a storage shelf, plus as night it glows thanks to ambient lighting. The pack also adds a large storage bin above the boot area that's accessible from the boot and the second row.
Interior, styling and technology
The e-Berlingo's nip and tuck of 2024 saw it poach some of the Citroen Oil concept car's styling, particularly the front headlights. There was also the addition of the new Citroen badge on the nose and lettering on the tailgate, plus a redesigned dashboard.
The refreshed cabin helped give a modern feel, especially with the new 10-inch infotainment system and configurable digital driver's display. The touchscreen's operating system is a little fiddly to use, but it has all the functionality you'd want.
Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included on all models, with connected sat-nav reserved for the top-spec Max. A 180-degree parking camera only comes on the top model, too.
Naturally, there's no getting away from the fact that the e-Berlingo is based on a van, and there's only so much brightly-coloured upholstery can do to disguise this. The cabin is chocked full with scratchy plastics, which may come as a shock to those more used to SUVs. But the fit and finish is durable and fine for the rigours of family life.
The driving position is commanding – large, tall windows not only bathe the interior with light, but also makes the e-Berlingo easy to see out of. It's an easy car to get comfortable in, but for maximum plushness the top-spec car gets Citroen's famous 'Advanced Comfort' seats that feature better support.
Motors, performance and handling
On paper, the e-Berlingo's performance figures seem to be perfectly aligned with expectations – it's an electric people-mover, not a hot hatchback, so a 9.9-second 0-62mph acceleration time isn't surprising. However, the e-Berlingo feels much faster than that, and for everyday driving it's more than quick enough.
For those who may have driven older Berlingos, the silence generated from the electric drive is surprising. A clattery diesel engine has traditionally gone hand in hand with the Berlingo. At higher speeds there is some electric motor whine, but it's only slight, and the car is very quiet at town speeds. There’s some wind noise to accompany the motor whine, but that's understandable considering the e-Berlingo's boxy shape.
It's a very comfortable vehicle to be in, with supple suspension that doesn't crash into pot holes. The steering is also light but not all that accurate, and the regenerative braking – controlled by paddles behind the steering wheel – does a good job at harvesting energy that would otherwise be lost. Overall, the e-Berlingo is a very pleasant but dull vehicle to drive – but what do you really expect?
Running costs and pricing
The e-Berlingo sits towards the affordable end of the electric family car market.Pricing starts from £29,890 after the £1,500 Government Electric Car Grant, undercutting other seven-seat SUVs like the Peugeot E-5008 and Mercedes GLB Electric by more than £10,000.
The entry-level Plus gets steel wheels and wheel trims, LED headlights, automatic lights and wipers, plus rear parking sensors, a 10-inch touchscreen with wireless phone connectivity, a digital driver's display, and a whole host of safety equipment. The Max, at £32,405 (again post-grant) is worth the extra in my opinion as it adds a more stylish exterior look with alloys, red exterior detailing and roof rails, along with more luxuries. Max gets the 'Advanced Comfort' seats, dual-zone climate control, electric windows all-round, opening tailgate glass, and a 180-degree parking camera.If you really need those seven seats, though, you're stuck with Plus trim – Max is five-seater-only.
Verdict
The Citroen e-Berlingo won't appeal to everyone. It's not stylish, it's not fast and it certainly isn't fashionable – but there is something very likeable about it. Perhaps it's how earnest it is – it's a practical vehicle that just gets on with its job.
Families needing space and flexibility will find very little else that can compete at this price point. The improved range, updated technology and refreshed styling only strengthen its appeal.
If your head rules your heart when choosing a car, the e-Berlingo remains one of the smartest EV purchases you can make.
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