Citroen unveiled a cardboard electric car with a range of 400 km and a top speed of 110 km/h

The Citroen Ami is already one of the most unusual electric ‘cars’, featuring a minimalist design with a construction that includes a lot of plastic. But the French company believes it can create an electric car with more speed, more space and less weight, but using less conventional construction materials: cardboard. The new concept called Citroen Oli wants to explore this possibility, which has not yet been confirmed for a production model, but could come later in a simplified form.

Citroen Oli looks ‘strange’ and is built from unconventional materials for a car

The new Oli is an electric car built specifically for energy efficiency. So unlike other cars of its kind, which are significantly heavier than those with internal combustion engines, Citroen has made weight reduction a priority. The Citroen Oli should weigh just 1,000kg, and the bodywork seems to be where the most pounds have been gained.

That’s because the bonnet, roof and boot are all made from pressed cardboard, a much lighter material than sheet metal. Of course, there’s carbon for such parts, but Oli must also be a relatively cheap and probably “environmentally friendly” car. The cardboard should be able to withstand the weight of an adult before it gives way to deformation. Inside, everything is minimalist, and many parts are 3D printed.

According to the company’s plans, the Citroen Oli should allow a range of 402 kilometres, but it’s a city car not for frequent use outside. That’s because the top speed it can reach is 112 kilometres per hour. The company thinks this will be a relaxing car to take camping or to the beach. An advantage of it would also be that it can be used as a power source, being able to power devices with a maximum consumption of 3,000W for 12 hours.