Imagine a day when resources are few and vehicle manufacturers are forced to use cardboard in place of metal for your automobile’s hood and roof.
In order to prepare for a world without resources, Citroen created the Oli concept car, which uses cardboard in place of steel for some elements.
This is not your typical cardboard; instead, it is a unique honeycomb format reinforced with plastic covering on either side, making it sturdy enough to stand on without buckling.
It was created in collaboration with BASF, a major German chemical company. The electric Citroen “Oli” concept car has a vertical windscreen that is intended to minimise the amount of glass required and conserve weight, giving it an SUV-like appearance.
A widespread, false urban legend persisted during the Soviet period that the Trabant, a compact two-stroke motor automobile developed in the former East Germany, had a body constructed of reinforced cardboard and that, in the event of a heavy downpour, a hole could be punched through it.
In actuality, the old Soviet Union’s recovered cotton waste was used to strengthen “duroplast,” the plastic used to make the Trabant.
Citroen and BASF have succeeded in making a well-known fable a reality. Citroen is a part of Stellantis, the No. 4 automaker in the world.
The Citroen head of future products, Anne Laliron, told Reuters that the vehicle was “more than simply a concept automobile like you’re used to seeing.” It nearly acts as a representation of modern lifestyles.
In an effort to participate in this experiment, designers from Dacia, a low-cost brand of Renault, created the “Manifesto” concept automobile. It was unveiled in the middle of September and appears to have been inspired by a “Mad Max” film, which is set in a post-apocalyptic future where oil is more valuable than gold.
