Citroen e-SpaceTourer

For a long time, I have had a desire to acquire an electric van, one that would enable the pursuit of van life and is an EV. The main subject of this story is truly impressive and suggests that such a vehicle doesn’t have to be custom-built. If not Citroën, then be aware that this type of car is indeed already available, even in a small country like Estonia, where the vehicle selection may not always be as big as, for example, in Norway.

Heading out on this trip, the exact vehicle was unknown until departure. It was anticipated that it might be a Citroën cargo model, especially since a similar vehicle is being sought for our company’s fleet. The criteria include a slightly larger battery range. However, the expectation was for a range of around 160 km.

A pleasant surprise occurred when the ë-SpaceTourer was seen pulling into the Vonktech parking lot—it didn’t look like a cargo van at all! Another positive moment was when the side door opened automatically—there’s a preference for electric conveniences in an electric vehicle, and back doors should certainly open and close electrically.

The third delightful feature revealed itself when the door opened—the journey would not be in a cargo room! Instead, a well-equipped leather interior mobile office was ready for the road, which was perfect as several meetings needed to be conducted on the go. Quite an impressive bus!

There was yet another reason to smile when it was discovered that the vehicle had a range of 326 km. This meant that there was no need to hold back while driving, nor to meticulously plan the route. Of course, the actual range depends largely on the conditions, but at the start of a long journey, every kilometer counts, and a greater range equates to a more relaxed drive. And so, the journey began. As mentioned earlier, there was no intention of holding back, and the plan was to overtake trucks on the highways rather than follow them.

The vehicle came equipped with three driving modes: Eco, Normal, and Power. It was not entirely clear what changed between them, but it didn’t matter much since the car never failed during overtaking. While it doesn’t have the acceleration of a sports car, considering the nature of this vehicle, the acceleration was quite good.

The electric van also consumes a fair amount of power. It’s important to remember that this is not a regular car and has a heavier weight, so the additional power consumption is completely normal. At 120 km/h, it’s estimated to travel 200 km, while at 90 km/h, it can go around 300 km.

The GPS system had its quirks, only recognizing major Estonian cities and occasionally preferring forest paths over paved roads. It seems the system in this vehicle hadn’t been updated. However, it accurately displayed the remaining battery and average electricity consumption, making it easy to plan the trip. There was, however, one surprise: neither of us had our charging cards, so alternative methods had to be used. Fortunately, registered apps on our phones helped, though they occasionally presented their own challenges.

About an hour later, we found ourselves at Tikupoiss. The app failed to initiate charging, even after meticulously following the instructions. Customer support was needed to remotely activate the charger. Although the plan was to have a proper breakfast, the battery still had plenty of charge, so only coffee and a sandwich it is. A meeting was held at a table in Alexela’s convenience store, while the car was allowed to charge more than necessary.

Upon arrival in Tartu, the vehicle was parked at the LukuExpert store, with no rush to charge as there was still enough battery left. The stay in Tartu was brief since another meeting needed to be attended in the mobile office—the rear section of the Citroën ë-SpaceTourer. I discovered that the seats in this car were very comfortable, suitable even for long journeys. The middle row of seats can be adjusted, providing more comfortable legroom. A laptop could be placed on the fold-out table from the front seat, but it was just as easy to work with the laptop on one’s lap, allowing for a more relaxed seating position.

After the meeting, the journey continued to Viljandi, where it was necessary to charge the vehicle to skip charging in Pärnu, as there was uncertainty about the working condition of the CCS charger in the city center. In Viljandi, the charger was successfully activated on the third attempt using a different app. It immediately reached maximum speed, and the we proceeded to LukuExpert.

Approximately an hour later, a stop was made for a meal. Since the car was charging via the app, a quick check was made to see what was happening. The charger had gone offline. Restarting the app and other attempts were unsuccessful. Fortunately, the lunch spot was near the charger, so an inspection was made. It turned out that the car had been charging for 36 minutes before the charger disconnected from the power grid. A total of 27.6 kWh was obtained, which should be sufficient to continue the journey.

Heading towards Pärnu. Since the original plan with Enefit Volt was no longer viable, a new charging spot was considered in Pärnu. The intention was to make a quick stop at the store and then head straight to Tallinn. However, there was uncertainty about whether the battery would last the entire distance. It likely would, but that would require very conservative driving.

Upon reaching the summer capital, the Rüütli charger was located, which was thought to have a CCS connector. Although it wasn’t found on any map (nor in the Volt app), it was functional! The car was connected on the first try and immediately began charging at maximum power. A brief 27-minute stop was enough. A coffee break was enjoyed at Supelsaksad. After conducting some phone calls, the journey towards Tallinn began.

After some experimentation and practice during the day, I finally started to understand the driver’s workspace. It had been about 20 years since my last drive in a Citroën. Every car is a bit different, so it wasn’t immediately clear to me how to activate the cruise control. A quick inspection revealed that the car lacked a speed limiter. Fortunately, this was tested! There was also a desire to adjust the steering wheel lower and further forward, but the most comfortable position couldn’t be found. The left hand had to rest on the door padding, which felt slightly uncomfortable on long drives, while the right hand rested comfortably on the adjustable armrest. Now it was time for the co-driver to enjoy the comforts of the mobile office, demanding additional airflow to the rear seats. This was provided. All possible seating positions were tested, confirming that there was indeed plenty of space, and even tall individuals could sit comfortably behind each other. A laptop could easily be placed on the rear table for work. While the expected extravagance was missing, it was still a very comfortable vehicle—a good and spacious minivan with remote office possibilities.

Everything goes smoothly despite the loading flickers, and there is still no need to plan far in advance.

Once again, we never wait for charging, but sometimes we miss the desired current.
It would have cost about 55 euros to travel 500 km with a regular gasoline car.
With the Citroën ë-SpaceTourer, the charging cost for the tour will be €15, plus the Tikupoiss charging, which I don’t have information about yet.

It doesn’t even take an hour and a half before we are already in the Auto Bassadone parking lot, attaching the charging cable to the old ELMO charging machine.