Citroen Oli EV Concept Previews Firm’s Commitment To Sustainable Electric Mobility

Just days after revealing the brand’s new corporate identity and Double Chevron logo, Citroen has revealed the new Oli EV Concept that showcases the firm’s commitment to affordable and sustainable electric mobility. The quirky EV concept will not make production though Citroen says that it will use some of the “concepts and innovations” from the EV in its future range of all-electric models.

The Oli has dimensions similar to a compact SUV measuring 4.2 metres in length, 1.90 metres wide and 1.65 metres tall. Styling is anything but conventional. The front is characterised by an almost flat upright nose and flat bonnet ending at a vertical windscreen. The chunky cladding and skid-plate element with tow hooks on the bumper add some flair to the design as do the C-shaped headlamp and DRL design. The nose bears the new Citroen Double Chevron finished in red with the A pillar too finished in the same colour.

Oli EV Concept features extensive use of recycled materials in the exterior panelling and cabin

The upright design continues to the sides as well with other attention-grabbing elements including the large, pronounced wheel arches and raked rear pillar. The glass too appears to have a unique shape. While it may appear to be a two-door, the Oli is a four-door concept with smaller reverse hinged rear doors and pillarless opening allowing improved access to the rear seats.

At the rear, the Oli gets a pick-up truck-like open bed with the tail-lights also following a similar design to the headlamps.

Roof, bonnet and pick-up bed made from recycled corrugated cardboard sandwiched between fibreglass sheets; Can support the weight of an adult.

Design aside its also the materials used that raise some eyebrows. The bonnet, roof and rear pick-up bed are all made from recycled corrugated cardboard sandwiched between fibreglass panels. The result are panels that just weigh as little as 6 kg but can support the weight of an average adult.

Also unique are the concept’s 20-inch wheels which blend aluminium and steel to save weight. The wheels are wrapped in Goodyear Eagle Go concept tyres which are claimed to have a lifespan of up to 5 lakh km. This comes down to the tyres being designed to have their treads renewed twice in their life cycle.

Four door design uses smaller rear-hinged rear doors and no B pillar.

Other weight-saving measures include the upright glasshouse which reduces the use of the material thus not only saving weight but also the load of the air-conditioning on the battery.

Inside the cabin too is very simplistic with a two-spoke steering, some switches on the centre console and a removable Bluetooth speaker built into the dashboard. Two wide displays sit at the base of the windshield while a small slot in the centre of the dashboard allows users to plug in their phone to the car’s infotainment system.

The cabin is all about simplicity and functionality; the dashboard features removable Bluetooth speakers and minimal control surfaces.

More weight savings come from the lack of a traditional sound system, reduced use of sound deadening materials in the doors and a dashboard and seats made using lesser and lighter components than on standard family cars. Citroen says the dashboard comprises of just 34 parts compared to 75 in a regular family car while the seats are made from just 8 components as compared to 37 in the typical family car. The cabin uses 100 per cent recycled polyester upholstery with seat backrests being 3D printed.

Owing to the weight savings and energy saving measures in the concept’s design Citroen says the Oli can have a range of up to 400km from a 40kWh battery. The electrical system also supports vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-grid technology allowing users to draw power from the vehicle to run appliances or power the grid for a limited time. The Oli has a top speed of 110 kmph and weighs around 1,000 kg.