Blue skies beckon for the magnificent multi-functional Citroën ELO concept

This is the Citroën ELO, a late but legitimate claimant for our concept car of the year. Created by the manufacturer in collaboration with French sportswear brand Decathlon, the ELO is a bold exploration of what an MPV could and should look like in the future. Dressed up in regulation gorpcore orange, the ELO is an asymmetric wonderland of design innovation, with an interior awash with tags, bags, detachable totes, sliding seats, mattresses, and folding desks, and a foursquare and functional exterior that maximises space and efficiency.

Everywhere you look there are fresh approaches, some of which have been seen before but which come together to create a cumulative deluge of innovation. From the central driving position – saving the need to engineer right- and left-hand drive versions – to the use of new, non-automotive materials, ELO is a showcase for fresh thinking. Citroën describes the concept as an ‘ideas laboratory’.

The modular interior can seat up to six and blends the best of compact camper and commercial vehicle design with the more out-there ideas from the 70s, 80s and 90s (we’re thinking Mario Bellini’s Kar-A-Sutra, created in collaboration with Cassina in the early 70s). All this is crammed into a footprint that’s just 4.1 metres long, 1.7m high and 1.92 wide.

Along the way the design hoovers up inspiration from the brand’s own history, including the 2CV with its removable, tubular framed seats. The ELO takes a similar approach with two jump seats situated either side of the central driver. There’s also learnings from cars like the Ami, with its use of identical bumpers front and rear to cut down on part costs.

The name ELO is pulled from the three key usages targeted by Citroën’s concept team – relaxation, leisure and commerce, distilled down into rEst, pLay and wOrk. Naturally it’s also a pure EV, with all the flexibility that a totally flat floor plan can create.

In standard configuration the ELO offers four seats, with three seated on a bench behind the driver. The central seat can be swivelled round when parked up for work or socialising, with the two auxiliary seats slotting in as needed.

On top of this, ELO has space for twin mattresses (or a home cinema space), with an on-board power supply in addition to the plethora of plug-in and detachable accessories scattered around the cabin.

Another precedent in terms of hard-wearing materials and minimal display surfaces was the 2022 Citroën Oli concept. ELO uses a reflective layer beneath the windscreen on which information is displayed, far more efficient than a regular heads-up projection system.

Citroën fans will note the shape of the single spoke steering wheel, which has antecedents in the 1955 Citroën DS and the CX that followed in the 70s. 3D printed textiles coat the wheel, while the seat padding is also a throwback to the squishy, ultra-comfortable ‘chocolate square’ foam of days gone by.

Working with Decathlon has opened up another world of new materials, as has a deeper partnership with tyre manufacturer Goodyear. Decathlon were tapped for their material expertise, such as the inflatable Dropstitch material used for the mattresses – usually found in paddleboards and kayaks. A compressor is built into the car to inflate the mattress while at night, the car's rear lights transform into bedside lamps.

Other material innovations include expanded polypropylene in the driver’s seat, as used by Decathlon’s cycle helmets. With a high recycled material component (and fully recyclable), polypropylene is light and strong and is also used on exterior surfaces. The smart tyres were developed alongside Goodyear, the fourth Citroën concept they've worked on, and incorporate LEDs that indicate the air pressure level.

Citroën’s recent crop of concept designs has tapped into the brand’s long and glorious history of innovation and ELO is no different. It points to a future of smarter thinking about the use of resources and space that doesn’t compromise Citroën’s innate and very welcome eccentricity.

Citroën ELO, concept only, Citroën.co.uk, @Citroën