With the Ami, Citroen proved it is willing to think beyond the box to fulfill its promise of affordable, easy-to-use electric transportation for all. As a result, OLI was able to be created an innovative "laboratory on wheels" meant to alter the standards of family mobility.
While Citroen Ami was a baby step toward putting words into action, Citroen OLI represents a giant leap forward. Instead of being a 2500kg "palace on wheels" filled with displays and gadgets, Citroen OLI demonstrates that society needs can be met at an affordable price with zero-emission mobility.
Around 800 kilograms, 3.7 meters in length, and 1.6 meters in width, described the average family car of the 1970s. In today's world, equivalent automobiles weigh over 1200 kg, measure at least 4.3 meters in length, and are at least 1.8 meters broad. Some of them weigh over 2500 kilograms! Some of this is due to regulations and safety concerns. Still, suppose the trend continues, and we continue to park these vehicles 95% of the time each day and drive 80% of trips with a single passenger. In that case, the tension between protecting the planet and realizing the promise of sustainable, electrified mobility will only grow.
OLI demonstrates how Citroen is reimagining family mobility in the future by focusing on simplification, affordability, and sustainability in the design of its vehicles.
The Citroen OLI is a conceptual family car with sustainability at its core and is cleverly designed. By employing recycled and lightweight materials, focusing on durability for an extended "life in operation," and then correctly recycling them at the end of their useful lives, the book shows how the best possible Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) can be achieved from beginning to end.
It is much more efficient, cheaper, and less complicated when the number of parts and components is wisely decreased while employing the lightest and most responsible materials, limiting complexity and boosting versatility and utility.
Although it may look large, the Citroen OLI is quite light at around 1000kg, making it more maneuverable than other compact SUVs.
Therefore, its all-electric drivetrain can get up to 400 kilometers on a 40-kilowatt-hour battery. Maximum efficiency is reached at a speed of 110 km/h, with a consumption of 10 kWh/100 km and a recharge time of just 23 minutes from 20% to 80%.
A vehicle like Citroen OLI with 'Vehicle to Grid' (V2G) functionality could make its owner make money by storing and selling back extra energy generated by rooftop solar panels during peak demand or power outages. The 'Vehicle to Load' (V2L) feature of the Citroen OLI exemplifies how a car may serve as a makeshift dwelling for vacations to the beach or a weekend camping in the mountains. Theoretically, a 3000w electrical gadget might be powered by oil for about 12 hours, given its 40kWh battery and 3.6kW socket (equivalent to a 230v 16amp residential socket).
The French automaker created the Citroen OLI to provide consumers with a convenient way to live. This way, the versatile pick-up bed can accommodate everything from a trip to the furniture store to bring home your furniture to a weekend trip to the coast, complete with paddleboards and pop-up roof tents.
"Our mobility vision is reflected in Citroen OLI, which is both responsible and easy to use in your day-to-day life while remaining reasonably priced and fun to drive. Our mission is to design the product every family will need in 10 years as their only car."
