The radical Citroën Oli concept revealed last year is set to feed the brand’s future line-up of electric cars, with the French marque aiming to produce EVs that are “lightweight, affordable and sustainable”.
Speaking to Move Electric, Citroën design director Pierre Leclercq revealed that the French brand will launch a “new project” – set to be a next-generation electric C3 hatchback – with elements of the Oli concept.
“What you see on the Oli is something that you are going to see very quickly, by the end of the year,” said Leclercq.
“You will see that design identity in the headlights and logo, and this will be on a project that will be shown in a couple of months.
The new second-generation Citroën C3 is set to arrive by the middle of the decade. While the ë-C4 uses a 50kWh battery, the new model will use a smaller battery - although it is unlikely that it will use the same unit as found in the Oli concept - with the future model targeting a 250-mile range.
The electric architecture that will underpin the new C3 will be a development of the CMP platform that is used by fellow Stellantis counterparts, Peugeot and Vauxhall, which will be rebranded STLA Small.
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While the Oli has a target price £22,000, the new C3 is likely to be priced nearer the £30,000 market, although it will likely be cheaper than the closely related Peugeot e-208 and Vauxhall Corsa-e.
Citroën’s design boss noted that the ideas created through the Oli concept would be pushed as far as possible into the firm’s future production models, adding that “everything you see” could influence the brand’s design language.
Commenting on the future of the brand, design boss Leclercq added that the brand's new “lightweight, affordable and sustainable” philosophy would be easier to apply to smaller models.
“Of course those pillars are probably easier to approach on the A or B segment [small cars], as opposed to C and D [machines such as the ë-C4],” said Leclercq.
“I think the position of Citroën is away from the D segment but I believe that C segment models could still have the same Philosophy.
“If we were alone in the market today we might think differently and try to do everything and sell as much as possible. But the beauty of being part of so many brands allows us to specialise in a couple of iconic products, and already for me the Oli and the Ami carry our new DNA.”
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