Although the Citroen 2CV is no longer in production, the cars are kept alive by enthusiastic car clubs. One of the most significant is 2CV Méhari Club in Cassis, South of France. Among other things, they have taken over the molds for Méhari, which are made of plastic. The company supplies France's entire 2CV environment with new and overhauled parts. Now they have been approved for a kit to convert 2CVs to electric operation.
The process takes 20 hours
R-FIT consists of an electric motor, battery pack, control box, charger and work. The latter is significant. The kit is only approved when it is installed by an approved mechanic. It takes 20 hours from the time the fossil fuel car drives in, until it can roll out as an electric car. Currently, only mechanics in Cassis can carry out the conversion - but since the solution has recently been approved, the stage is set for its own dealer network across large parts of Europe. Unfortunately, Norway is not on the map - not yet.
The solution in a nutshell
Emphasis has been placed on two things in particular: The engine power must not change and the weight/weight distribution must be maintained. The battery pack is placed behind where the fuel tank was. In the engine compartment, a small electric motor is inserted which fits into the flywheel housing. Thus, the power goes through the car's original gearbox. You can therefore still shift with the characteristic umbrella gear. The battery pack is 10,2 kWh. The engine produces a modest 20 Kw and the WLTP range is 90 km. In France, the price of the kit is 14 euros (about NOK 000). If you live there, you can get an environmental bonus deducted.
Car or quad bike?
R-FIT has recently been approved for the 2CV6 in France. The control body is UTAC (l'Union Technique de l'Automobile, du motocycle et du Cycle). French UTAC is big on vehicle inspections, including the inspection body for EU inspections and has branches to inspection companies in other European countries. Since the news of the approval has just been released, we do not know the details. But in Cassis, for a couple of years, they have been producing light electric cars based on the body shapes of the original Méhari. The electric model is called "Eden". That's not what it's about rebuilt Méharis – these are new cars produced on a small scale. The project can be compared to the new production of electric Mini-Moke. Eden is approved as a “quadricycle lourd électrique” – heavy four-wheeled electric bicycle with 4 seats – also called L7e. The curb weight without batteries is only 448 kg. The batteries weigh 142,6 kg. The electric two-seater Renault Twizy also undergoes the same type of certification in France.
Documentation for approval in Norway?
French authorities do not take conversions of electric cars lightly. As you know, you don't do that in Norway either. The Swedish Road Administration has drawn up a separate document for those who want to rebuild older electric cars, for example installing a battery pack in the vehicle. It can be very difficult to get approved if you do it yourself. It is required that the conversion is documented. For the time being, it is an open question whether the documentation from the manufacturer and the certification from UTAC are sufficient to get electrified 2CVs through the approval procedure in Norway. UTAC has focused on the same things as the Norwegian authorities, including assessment of the fire safety of lithium batteries.
Dealers in Norway?
In Norway, there are 16 vehicles registered as Citroen Méhari. The owners of these can benefit from the Méhari club in Cassis, which sells "everything" a Méhari owner could want. 2CV owners too. There are far more of them. But Norwegian car owners are unlikely to benefit from taking their vehicles down to the south of France to switch to electric drives there. There is still no doubt that French R-FIT can become popular in Central Europe – especially the Netherlands, Belgium, Great Britain and Germany. Perhaps also Denmark – and the country of electric cars, Norway. First and foremost, it is dependent on a possible representative of R-FIT getting the solution approved by the Norwegian authorities, - or that a "zealous" tries to get his electric converted 2CV approved in Norway.
Current for several models
So far, the electric car solution from the 2CV-Méhari club has been approved for use in the Eden (electric Méhari) and as the conversion kit R-FIT for the 2CV6 – i.e. the 600 cc engines. These are used in a number of other car models:
Citroen Ami/Ami Break
Citroen Dyna/Acadia
Citroen LN/LNA
Citroën Visa
It is "in the cards" that owners of other air-cooled 2-cylinder Citroen models will also be offered a kit for electric car conversion. Seen through French eyes, this must be of great interest, as the Acadiane van, based on the Dyna, is still in use in many places in France. The conversion kit can also give life to the Citroen Visa with a 2CV drive. They have the engine positioned longitudinally in the same way as the 2CV, while the Citroen Visa with other engine options has the engine transversely. Air-cooled 2CV engines were not particularly popular among Norwegian Visa customers, and think how cool it would be to have a Citroen Visa with an electric motor!
Is there a market?
One wonders if 2CV enthusiasts are willing to sacrifice the characteristic engine sound with a faint whine from the electric car engine, perhaps in harmony with the whine of the gearbox? In the Norwegian enthusiast community, one would perhaps regard electric car-converted 2CVs as unauthentic - a bit neutered? In France, there are still people who drive 2CVs on a daily basis. Some cars are owned by several generations in the same family. These owners will enjoy converting to electricity, but the question is whether they are willing to pay €14 for it. Then maybe it will be more tempting to put the 000CV behind the garage and buy a newer car?
Facts
R-FIT for conversion of 2CV4 to electric operation
Battery capacity: 10,2 KW
Engine power: 27 HP
Range: 90 km based on WLTP measurement carried out by UTAC. According to the manufacturer, the real range is between 80-100 km.
Charging: Only possible via an ordinary 240v socket.
Charging time: 3,5 hours.
Recovers electricity when you ease off the gas.
Price conversion: €14
EDEN (Méhari with electric drive)
Engine power: 21 HP
Range: Up to 130 km
Top speed: 80 km/h
Price complete car: €24 + extra equipment. A used Méhari in good working order with a petrol engine costs €000 today.
See
Installation of electric motor and batteries (Source: Une émission du France 3)
I have been skeptical about electric cars, have driven a normal car for many years. But I bought an electric car and it's pretty good. I just had to ask the car dealer to make some minor changes before the car was delivered. I asked them to turn off and remove all the internet and wifi and all the electronics you don't need to drive a car. They also replaced the battery with a fairly large turbodiesel engine. And I'm satisfied, it fits me perfectly. it has a big tank too, can drive over 100 miles without charging it up. And it is fast and powerful. So the electric cars are not as bad as I thought.