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Citroën Evaluating Feasibility of Producing Car Based on C-Cactus Concept

10 October 2008

Citroën has embarked on a new project to look into the feasibility of producing an ultra-environmentally friendly vehicle based on the C-Cactus concept car, first unveiled at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show as a diesel-electric hybrid. (Earlier post.) At the Paris Motor Show this year, Citroën presented an electric-powered version of C-Cactus.

The C-Cactus.

The project will consider a range of powerplants including a 1.0 liter, sub-100g/km CO₂ gasoline engine, a HYmotion2 diesel–electric hybrid returning around 83 mpg US (2.8 L/100km) and CO₂ emissions of just 78g/km; or a lithium-ion powered electric model, similar to the version on display at the Paris, with a top speed and range of almost 70 mph and 100 miles respectively.

The C-Cactus represents a new approach to eco-friendly design. The radical, essentialist vehicle, with its emphasis on environmental technology, features a simplified design throughout, significantly reducing the number of components and leading to a reduction in weight, cost and the impact on the environment.

Removing features that are non-essential to the running of the car or the comfort and safety of the occupants – even doing away with the dashboard – has resulted in an interior comprising around half the parts of a similarly-sized conventional car. The door panels are made of just two parts, compared to twelve in a conventional car and many components are made from recycled materials.

October 10, 2008 in Brief | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)

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Comments

They should offer it as a DIY kit.

Posted by: DS | Oct 10, 2008 2:05:17 PM

Hooray. Finally an auto manufacturer that realizes the importance of morphology and parsimony in meeting the real world conditions of the 21st century. It's appropriate that Citroen should be taking this approach, since the original design brief for the 2CV was the epitome of parsimony and practicality.

Posted by: fred schumacher | Oct 11, 2008 2:41:36 PM

Less bits to break, fix and pay for, gets the bones where they neeed to go.

Posted by: arnold | Oct 12, 2008 1:17:17 AM

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