e-C4 app expires, you cannot check battery level. RIP-OFF

[eC4Dude]

I have an e-C4, it is a few years old.
It came with the MyCitroen app, which lets you check the battery level.
This is a very useful function, if it is raining and cold, you see the battery level without going outside to check on the charge level.
Or if you are in a motorway services using fast charging, you can see if it is charged yet.
The app also has a function to warm the car up in cold weather, this is very handy when it is frosty.

Today I spoke to Citroen support, who confirmed I have to buy an annual "Connected Services" service for £60 a year (59.90), otherwise the app will stop working. To be clear, they will intentionally sabotage the app so I cannot use it any more, unless I pay up for a £60 annual subscription. (This is after an initial year of free usage).

I think this is OUTRAGEOUS and highway robbery. This is a very basic function. Friends with other brands of EV do not have to pay an annual subscription just to read the battery level in their own car! Or to warm the car up remotely in cold weather!

I am not impressed at all. This was not made clear to me when I bought the car from the dealer, that they would be extracting money for basic functions which should be free, one year down the line.

Does anyone else know of an open-source app. or something similar?

[GiveMeABreak]

Nope, that’s it. Citroen make this very clear in the terms and conditions and on the connected services web site for which you would have to have signed up to when you created your account.

It’s the same for everyone else - connected services are free from 1 to 3 years depending on the vehicle and agreement in place at the time of vehicle purchase / or registration for the service.

It’s optional but it is chargeable, but I would check directly on the connected services website to see what exact services you will lose.

There are other apps that will provide EV charging locations like Sygic Navigation etc that you can use with CarPlay etc but you won’t get any third party app that will be allowed to interface with the vehicle directly outside of the Citroen App.

[eC4Dude]

I can understand if Citroen were charging for some fancier services, but to simply check the battery level with an app - this is pretty fundamental.
Polestar have an app that is free to check the battery/charging level.
Nissan as well, to name two. No EV maker in their right mind would charge an annual subscription just to check the battery level.

There are other services in the paid package which I don't want. I suspect no-one wants them, which is why they are trying to force people to buy them by the back door, by bundling them with fundamental, basic features that should be free, like checking the battery level.

It's a shame, because I have been really happy with the vehicle otherwise, but I certainly won't be looking for a Citroen EV next time around, if they are still doing this. And I will not recommend Citroen EVs to anyone who asks, either.

It's not like they are adding any value with that subscription. I've bought the car, I own my phone, it's a very simple thing to do, other EVs just have it as part of the normal package, yet Citroen want to charge for the pleasure. Unlike other manufacturers. I suppose I will just have to go out in the rain and cold every time I want to see how the charging is progressing.

I am so unimpressed.

[PaulC5]

Could be worse, you could live up north where it is even colder and wetter. Sorry, I could not resist but as you say, it is not good but seems to be the way these days, everyone is trying to extort as much money as possible from us.

[GiveMeABreak]

As I said already in my last post - have you actually looked into this properly?

According to their website these services are free!

https://www.citroen.co.uk/electric-for- ... vices.html

REMOTE CHARGING AND TEMPERATURE SETTING

Using the MyCitroën app, you can check your vehicle's charge status and remotely verify the battery level at any time. Programming deferred charging or pre-setting the temperature of the passenger compartment, can all be done from the comfort of your sofa. To get started you simply need to subscribe to the free e-Remote Control service in the app and be guided through a one-time secure activation process with your car and phone.

If this is not the case, then you may have a case for trading standard / advertising standards agency complaint.....

Don't get this service confused with the live services subscription which is separate and for live traffic info, radar alerts, weather, petrol pricing, live traffic alerts etc., which was free for 1-3 years then chargeable. You may find what they are asking you about is these services and not the basic e-remote functionality that according to them is free.