Citroen C-Cactus concept

Citroen has taken a bold approach to eco-friendly design with the C-Cactus concept car. Scheduled to be unveiled in Frankfurt next week, the C-Cactus is built on a Citroen C4 platform but its design focuses on simplicity, using only around half the components of a conventional car.

The concept's minimalist approach helps to keep production costs down whilst engineers stripped all non-essential features from the car. The front bumper section makes up the lower part of the rear tailgate and the car's front end consists of just two parts: the fixed hood comprising the front fenders and a flap to access the vehicle maintenance functions. The windscreen, windows and tires are all recyclable components, as are the unpainted steel door panels.

Interior materials also reflect the innovative ecological direction of the C-Cactus' design, employing environmentally-friendly cork and felt for many parts and a patterned floor that uses recycled leather taken from off-cuts. The front seats comprise just two parts: a comfortable, molded, integral-skin foam part for the seat and a solid monoblock frame to hold the former in place and fix it to the floor rails.

Mechanically, the concept is fitted with an efficient hybrid HDi drivetrain that combines a 70bhp diesel engine with an electric motor. Citroen claims the C-Cactus offers fuel economy of 83mpg and emits just 78g/km of CO2 while also featuring a ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) mode.

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