TGS talks to the Stellantis Head of Asean, Christophe Musy : Making Electrification More Accessible

Singapore - Our island nation is aiming to achieve net zero emissions by 2050, and Singapore is in-line with Europe’s strategy against greenhouse gas emissions. You would  in-fact already be able to see the influence of this strategy, with the increase of the number of EVs on our roads. 

Automotive manufacturers have been quick to show off their offerings in our country’s small car space. French automotive brand, Citroën, is one of the more recent legacy manufacturers to launch an electric car here. The Citroën e-C4, which was revealed at the recent motor show, is their first passenger EV on sale here. With a list price of approximately $172,000*, it is on the more “affordable” side, given the current COE situation, and is aimed right at the middle class.

Under the Stellantis umbrella - itself a merger between Fiat-Chrysler and PSA, and now a conglomerate representing upwards of 15 brands, there is greater synergy when it comes to parts and technology sharing. We got a few words in from Christophe Musy, the parent company’s Head of Asean and General Distributors, on how Citroën would set itself apart from the likes of competing brands. This also includes manufactures within the same umbrella - in the e-C4’s case, it would be the Peugeot e-2008 and Opel Mokka-e.

“Citroën dares to be different as we provide mobility options based on people’s comfort on the move. We are driven by three brand values – Accessibility, Care and Audacity. Through our innovative, affordable and versatile models with eye-catching designs, we are committed to serve a variety of needs while enabling individual mobility for our Singaporean customers.”

Musy also added that “Citroën is working on its EV range to provide customers with the famous Citroën. Advanced Comfort program which promises smooth 100% electric driving and optimised charging time for easy recharging. This means that the (earlier mentioned) e-C4 can charge faster and more regularly, allowing travel with a complete peace of mind. Depending on the charger, a 10-minute charge allows for 100km range and a 30-min charge can provide 80% charge status.”

But beyond electrification, the group is also embarking on the research of alternative green fuels.

To this, Musy mentioned that “Stellantis is among the global pioneers in hydrogen mobility. The launch of several mid-size vans in late 2021, includes the Citroën e-Jumpy Hydrogen, alongside a few other Stellantis brand models in Europe. Hydrogen fuel cells show great promise as the next level of zero emission propulsion technology. We believe that it can meet a wide range of customer demands and user profiles to ensure sustainable delivery activities, in line with environmental stakes. 

The Citroën e-Jumpy Hydrogen combines batteries with a hydrogen fuel cell to provide greater range in electric mode without compromising the vehicle’s abilities. With a range of up to 400km and hydrogen refuelling in just three minutes, the Citroën e-Jumpy Hydrogen is the forerunner of tomorrow’s electric light commercial vehicles.”

We could not resist a probe at Citroën’s legacy models, by asking if Citroën would revive names like the CX and 2CV, together with retro-inspired designs, to which Musy replied that “while we are proud of our long, revolutionary history, Citroën is focused on turning to the future to invent newer innovations.”

I guess no 2CV revival for us then?

*accurate at time of publication

PHOTOS Clifford Chow & Citroën