Inspired by the spirit of the Citroen Ami, the Oli concept hints towards future vehicles with a pickup bed in the back and cardboard panels
- New Citroen badge arriving in 2023
- Oli concept features interchangeable exterior panels
- Honeycomb cardboard used for some bodywork
The Citroen Oli is a concept car that would cost around £22,000 if it went into production. Oli showcases new lightweight technology for the brand, along with Citroen’s new branding for 2023. Using the new Citroen Ami quadricycle as inspiration, the Oli has a 40kWh battery, a simple design, and a focus on sustainability while maximising mobility. Unique features include a pickup bed for storage.
Although Citroen has stated the Oli is unlikely to reach showrooms, it instead hints to car buyers what future styling and features they can expect from Citroen. The styling, badges, and technical achievements are intended to flow through to future Citroen vehicles and so while you may not be able to buy the Oli, you may see the honeycomb cardboard panels, vertical windscreen, and boxy design language on production models.
It would be hard to miss an Oli passing you on the street; its 20-inch wheels, pickup bed rear with split tailgate, flat windscreen and frontal area flanked by squared C-Shape lights add up to a striking appearance.
Inside, it blends future technology with physical toggles for the climate control, a slim screen that connects to a smartphone, and seats built using 3D-printed mesh similar to an Adidas trainers sole, said to containt 80% less parts than a conventional seat.
The Oli is intended for city use with a top speed of just 68mph, but thanks to an efficient powertrain and lightweight, it can achieve 249 miles on a charge, and be topped up from 20% to 80% in just 23 minutes. The vertical windscreen and boxy aesthetic is a departure from the smooth lines of many new electric vehicles, which are designed with aero efficiency in mind to boost range. However, Citroen believes that because the Oli would be mainly used in low speed city traffic, the impact is minimal. Although higher speed running would be compromised the firm believes Oli would boast an efficiency figure of 6.2 miles per – the current Kia Niro EV manages 5 miles per kWh for comparison.
Sustainability was clearly a key aspect of the Oli design. The cardboard body panels are 50% lighter than steel ones. The side windows pop out, the wheels are a mix of steel and aluminium to save weight, and its tyres – created with Goodyear – are claimed to be capable of 50,000 miles before needing changing. Even its white paint is water-based and customisation is limited to vinyl stickers and interior trims.
Citroen has dubbed the Oli a ‘Swiss army knife’ because of its versatility, which includes vehicle-to-load capability, so its battery can power or charge up other electrical devices.
Although we don’t expect to see the Citroen Oli in showrooms, Citroen’s new badge will definitely appear in 2023, and we can expect to see some of the Oli’s features on other Citroen cars in the years ahead.
Keyword: Citroen Oli concept offers glimpse at brand’s future and new logo