Citroën unveils minivan concept ELO
Following the OLI introduced in 2022, Citroën’s vision of a future electric family vehicle, the French carmaker now presented the ELO as ‘an ideas laboratory that embodies the brand’s values of innovation and creativity and brings together thinking for the future.’ The ELO is designed to be more than just a means of transport. It aims to support life on the move in all its forms: travel, relaxation, leisure and work.
The acronym ELO stands for REST, PLAY, WORK. Thanks to its fully intuitive modularity, the ELO maximises its electric architecture, offering a compact length of just 4.10 metres while providing an exceptionally spacious interior, according to Citroën.
“ELO is an ideas laboratory that perfectly embodies Citroën’s values and opens up perspectives on what drives our thinking today. It ticks all the boxes of what has been the brand’s DNA for more than 100 years and what I want to nurture in the coming years: creative, bold, accessible, responsible, ingenious and dedicated to well-being. It is totally in tune with the times and offers concrete, innovative solutions to promote freedom of movement and a better life. Its style expresses friendliness and joie de vivre, and its ultra-modular interior is designed as a living space in its own right. It is full of clever features and simple technology to make everyday life easier. ELO sends a strong message that conveys our vision of what Citroën should be,” said CEO Xavier Chardon.
With this concept vehicle, the Stellantis brand aims to create a ‘a true tiny house on wheels.’ The driver’s seat can be rotated to facilitate conversations or work. If needed, two additional seats can be folded out to accommodate six passengers. The ELO can also be transformed into a sleeping space for two, a home cinema, a power source, and many other configurations—thanks to the modular design of the electric minivan.
The distinctive silhouette of the ELO reflects the Citroën designers’ desire to prioritise function over form. The semi-circular rear doors extend to the roof to optimise light intake, with 4.5 square metres of glass allowing plenty of natural light into the interior.
For leisure activities, an underfloor compressor can be used to inflate accessories such as swimming floats, paddles or bicycle tyres. The ELO is also equipped with vehicle-to-load (V2L) technology, enabling the traction battery to function as a power bank to supply electricity to devices like an electric grill or a speaker.
Citroën has revealed little about the technical details, except that its 100% electric architecture enables a compact size while creating an unexpectedly generous interior space. The electric powertrain is located at the rear axle. However, Citroën has not disclosed performance data, battery specifications or range. Ultimately, this is not a production vehicle but a show car, set to make its public debut at the Brussels Motor Show on 9 January.
This article was first published by Florian Treiß for electrive’s German edition.
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