Citroën markets again the Berlingo with a thermal engine
- In 2022, Citroën decided to suddenly stop sales of the gasoline and diesel versions of its Berlingo MPV (the Berlingo MPV is the “passenger transport” variant of the Berlingo light utility vehicle) to redirect its customers towards the battery electric version, but this customer base very little appreciated this decision.
- From the beginning of 2023, sales in Europe of the model available only in the battery electric version gradually collapsed, in particular due to a price which no longer had anything to do with the petrol and diesel versions previously offered. These sales decreased from 2,000 units in March 2023 to 1,400 in May 2023, then 900 in June 2023, 700 in September 2023 and 300 in November 2023.
- This phenomenon is known as the "Smart effect" because when Smart decided to sell only its battery electric models (Smart Fortwo and Forfour) after removing its gasoline and diesel models, the brand's sales collapsed by 80%. These models were definitively discontinued and the Smart range reorganised around significantly larger vehicles (Smart #1 and Smart #3). Citroën's strategy regarding its "passenger transport" Berlingos had the same effect: a collapse in sales of these models.
- Today, the carmaker observes the disaster and has decided to put back on the market its Berlingo MPVs with a thermal engine, as is already the case for the Berlingo“LUV” version. It is obvious that the combustion engine versions represented the vast majority of sales of Berlingo MPVs until 2022. The Peugeot Rifter and Opel Combo twins should logically follow the same path.