The Citroen Oli Is A Radical, Lightweight EV From The Future That Embodies French Quirkiness

Citroen claims the Oli is its answer to current industry trends that will see us travelling about in 'heavier, more complex and expensive zero-emission family vehicles' in the future.

Instead, the Oli, which Citroen calls an optimistic 'laboratory on wheels', turns the current story on its head, showing off a future where lighter and faster charging EVs are the norm rather than the exception.

Citroen claims that the Oli concept does not preview a production car. However, the Oli concept does give us a sneak peek at the design and powertrain themes that we can expect in Citroen EVs of the future.

Citroen is aiming for a projected kerb weight of 1,000 kilogrammes for the Oli. The Oli is expected to achieve this rather crazy weight figure thanks to its usage of lightweight recycled materials, usage of simplified tech like removable bluetooth speakers and a rather small battery pack with a capacity of just 40kWh.

Speaking about the battery pack, Citroen hopes to achieve a consumption of 10kWh/100km by limiting the top speed to just 110km/h. This Citroen claims will help the Oli deliver a range of 400 kilometres on a single charge. The 40kWh battery pack will feature fast charging capabilities going from 20 to 80 per cent in just 23 minutes.

However, those claimed efficiency figures and lightweight ambitions are not the only thing about the Citroen Oli concept. The design of the Oli is French quirkiness at its fullest. The small Citroen concept car looks like a miniature pickup truck. With its crazy blend of curves and squared off shapes, the Oli somehow make you fall in love with it, despite its oddball design.

The Oli sports quite a few crazy design elements that you have to be French at heart to understand properly. These bonkers design elements include interchangeable exterior panels like the doors, bumpers and wheel arch extensions.

The flat bonnet, roof and pick-up bed panels that are strong enough for a person to stand on are made from recycled honeycomb cardboard. The Citroen Oli's wheels are a unique combination of steel and aluminium that are shod with Goodyear's sustainable and intelligent Eagle Go concept tyres.

The interior of the Citreon Oli features a single symmetrical beam running across the width of the vehicle. The steering column along with 5 switches for the air conditioning and a smartphone dock hang off this beam that also houses an electrified rail into which accessories can be plugged via USB sockets that slide along it.

The seats are made from a 3D-printed mesh material and and use 80% less parts than a traditional seat. The Oli also features a washable floor and uses a lot of low-weight, recyclable materials inside its cabin.

Thoughts About The Citroen Oli

The Citroen Oli is a quirky and very French look into an EV future which flips the script on EVs needing to be heavy and large to travel for long distances. While the Oli is not expected to enter production, any new EV from Citroen based on this philosophy is one we'll welcome with open arms.