LONDON, Oct 6 — With its new Oli concept car, Citroën has taken a radical responsible approach, using light, recycled and recyclable materials, starting with cardboard. And the weight savings are immediately evident.
Like the Ami, this concept car offers both responsible and versatile mobility. This small urban SUV has been designed with the aim of reducing its weight as much as possible, by using light, recyclable materials for improved durability.
In partnership with the German chemical group BASF, Citroën decided to use recycled corrugated cardboard to form a honeycomb sandwich structure placed between fiberglass reinforcement panels. The resulting material is rigid enough for an adult to stand on. Plus, the weight saving is significant, making it 50 per cent lighter than an equivalent steel construction. This technique was used for the car’s hood, roof and flat trunk floor panels.
As for the wheels, the hybrid steel and aluminium rims are 15 per cent lighter than their all-steel equivalents, which saves about 6 kg. As for the Goodyear tires, they have a remarkable lifespan of 500,000 km, thanks in particular to the possibility of permanently monitoring their condition with the help of a small integrated sensor.
The use of light materials has made it possible to achieve a final weight of 1,000 kg. For the rest, this concept, which has a top speed of 110 km/h, has a range of 400 km. According to Citroën, battery charging from 20 per cent to 80 per cent would only take about 20 minutes. Finally, the compact SUV can also be transformed into a small pickup thanks to its modular trunk, facilitating the transport of furniture or bulky sports equipment.
In the long run, the idea is to be able to refurbish the various elements of the car rather than changing them. Most of its parts can be used again, like its 100 per cent recyclable polypropylene bumpers.
The Oli is thus positioned as something of a big brother to the Ami. Note that Citroën will not be presenting this concept at the next Paris Motor Show, which will be held from October 18 to 23, 2022, in Paris. — ETX Studio
