You thought the Citroen AMI was quirky? Think again.
The new Citroen Oli is an inexpensive family-friendly compact crossover that's been designed to break the mould of expensive, homogenous electric cars.
Citroen claims that this new model isn't a precursor to a production model, despite providing a series of specific technical details for the show car. The Oli aims to buck the trend of heavy, gadget-laden EVs with a projected weight of only 1000KG, thanks to the use of lightweight recycled materials, simplified technology, and a small 40kWh battery.
On the outside
Like the Citroen AMI, some of the exterior panels of the Oli are said to be interchangeable with each other, including the doors, wheel arch extensions, and bumpers - helping to reduce manufacturing and repair costs, keeping more money in your pocket.
Certain non-structural parts of the Oli are made from honeycomb cardboard panels which help with weight, saving up to 50% over the steel counterpart, while still being strong enough to support the weight of adults.
Elsewhere, the Oli uses a 20" wheel design that combines a strong steel face with an aluminum inner rim for further cost-effective weight saving.
A new image
The Oli will be the first Citroen to feature the new logo we talked about in a previous article, but one of the defining features of this car will be its vertical, letterbox-style windscreen.
This flat glass panel is smaller, lighter, and cheaper to produce than an ordinary windscreen, although it will affect the car's aerodynamic capabilities - with Citroen countering by saying that the Oli will be mainly used for urban transport rather than high-speed cruising.
Performance
The top speed of the Oli will be limited to 88mph but will have a potential range of 249 miles on a single charge, which is huge for a car like this.
And when it comes to charging the battery, going from 20% to 80% is reported to only take around 23 minutes, which means you'll be back on the road quicker.
Customisation
Like the AMI, customisation for the Oli is limited to graphic packs, accent colours, and interior trims, rather than primary paint shades.
The cabin is unlikely to resemble any showroom-ready models for the time being, but the lightweight, minimalist theme continues. The seats, for example, are made from a 3D printed mesh and use 80% fewer parts than traditional seats.
Upfront on the dashboard, you'll find physical toggles for the climate controls, and infotainment duties are catered for by a slim dashboard display, driven by your smartphone.
Two removable speakers sit at either end of the dashboard, and suicide doors provide access to the rear seats.