Whe says that electric cars always have to be so heavy? Citroën wants to bring back the lightness with the concept study Oli. These requirements were in the specifications of the engineers: space for four people with a weight of one ton, a range of 400 kilometers, a top speed of 110 km/h, consumption of just 10 kWh per 100 kilometers.
With the realized concept car, Citroën has now created a real eye-catcher: 4.20 meters long, 1.90 meters high, vertically positioned windscreen, many flat surfaces. A four-seater becomes a pick-up in just a few simple steps. In order to save production costs, there are many identical components, the aim is a good ecological balance with recyclable materials and a long service life. The simplification of the design is intended to save weight, energy and costs. For example, the flat bonnet, the roof and the loading area were constructed in cooperation with BASF from recycled honeycomb cardboard with a special plastic coating, which is said to result in a weight saving of 50 percent compared to steel. The construction is so stable that you can also climb onto the roof of the Oli.
In the orange-colored interior, the eye falls on a steering wheel that is flat at the top and bottom with two control levers, five toggle switches and a simple display below the windshield. There are no large screens. Simply slide the smartphone into the slot provided, that’s how it works.
The simplification of the design is intended to save weight, energy and costs.
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Image: Ute Kernbach
However, the Oli should not go into series production, Citroën wants to use it to show where the brand wants to go in terms of sustainability, efficiency and functionality. Many ideas from the study are to be taken up in future production models. On a short drive through downtown Frankfurt, the study attracted everyone’s attention. The electric motor has 136 hp, and a 40 kWh battery should ensure the promised range.
