Discover the Incredible Citroen Oli Concept, Made of Cardboard
This is the Citroen Oli concept.
It’s the French brand’s vision of future EVs, and it’s been designed to be as sustainable and affordable as possible.
Supercar Blondie’s very own Alex Hirschi has just been to Paris to check it out.
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The Citroen Oli – pronounced ‘all-e’ – was revealed in the French capital last year.
Essentially, it’s a window into the future as to what the brand’s electric cars will look like going forward.
Its design includes radical new materials to keep the weight down, which is incredibly important for an EV as it boosts range.
It’s highly unlikely you’re going to mistake the Citroen Oli for anything else on the road.
Its upright windshield and angular shape certainly help it stand out from the crowd.
A flat windshield doesn’t mean it’s not aerodynamic, it’s got vents in the bonnet to help direct air around it.
The Citroen Oli also sports some funky-looking C-shaped LED lights, as well as a rugged front fender with orange tow hooks.
From the side, the Oli concept looks like a mix between a Toyota FJ Cruiser and a Hummer.
It’s got a flat hood and flat roof, again to keep costs down, as well as a jacked-up ride height and chunky cladding to make it look rugged.
Said flat hood and roof uses a new material – a reinforced honeycomb cardboard coated in resin to make it waterproof.
Not only is it much lighter than steel, it’s actually strong enough to stand on.
You might not notice from the pictures, but the side also features rear-hinged back doors.
Around the back, the Ciroen Oli has more angular lights, in addition to an open bed which turns it into a pickup truck of sorts.
Step inside, and the weight-saving theme continues.
There’s no infotainment system, just a mount that looks like Shrek’s ears for your phone, as well as two docks for bluetooth speakers that can be removed.
The seats are made from a mesh material that looks like it’s 3D printed.
While it doesn’t look like there’s much to them, they’re actually quite comfortable.
Apparently, they’re made from a clever mesh material that uses 80 percent less parts than a traditional seat.
Oh, and the Citroen Oli doesn’t have a carpeted floor either.
Instead, it has a layer of foam with plug holes like a bathtub should you need to clean it out.
Under the hood is a 40kWh battery which is admittedly small for a modern EV.
That said, it’s good for 248 miles on a full charge.
And weighing just under 1,000kg, the Oli concept can get up to 68mph (109km/h).
Hardly a pocket rocket, but Alex had a blast driving the Citroen Oli concept around Paris.
