Seats: 6
Body style: Compact MPV
Range: 250 miles (est)
Introduction - Citroen ELO Concept
This is peak Citroen. You remember the OLI Concept that I drove round Paris a few years ago? Well, this is more of the same, but the next evolution. It tells us a lot about the sustainability aims that Citroen has - this concept is completely recyclable, after all - and it also emphasises that the brand is really going down a route of quirky but clever design, no-nonsense versatility and some really original thinking.
What is frustrating is that Citroen has remained very tight-lipped about the range and battery specifics of the ELO. Currently, this is very much a design concept that's here to show us how the brand wants to tackle material sustainability, practicality and much more. But don't expect any specifics about the range, because we don't have them! If I had to take a wild guess, in a car of this size - maybe the ELO will become the next Citroen Berlingo, but who knows? - I reckon you're looking at a range of roughly 250 miles. That, dear reader, is entirely my own speculation.
Anyway, keep scrolling to find out all about this wicked Citroen concept, which I think is my favourite car of 2025... I just love it so much.
Range, battery and charging
Oh come on, now - I just told you I don't know, alright?! Let's move on...
Styling and dimensions
Citroen has gone compact and tall with the ELO Concept, which is refreshing given that it feels like everything else is getting bigger and heavier! At 4.1 metres long and 1.7 metres tall the ELO Concept is about the same size as a Citroen e-C3 or Jeep Avenger, but doesn’t necessarily look it. I think it looks kind of chunkier and longer, but that's just the cleverness of the design giving that impression.
It was designed as an EV from the start, so Citroen has pushed the wheels to the corners and used it to its advantage. It looks very utilitarian but it’s wacky at the same time. Like I said – peak Citroen.
One of my favourite things about the design is that the bumpers and those flat ‘wing’ pads are made to take the knocks and act like little resting shelves when you stop.
I think there’s a real happy energy to the whole concept car, really. That warm orange paint flips tones in the light - orange one second, red or yellow the next. Big glass windows? Oh yes. Citroen’s basically built a light-filled conservatory on wheels, including rear doors that climb into the roofline to keep the cabin bright. At the back you’ve got a split tailgate - very utility-vehicle (dare I say like a mini Range Rover?!) plus a roof section that props open so you can load taller stuff… or lie back and stare at the stars when you’re in sleep mode. More about that when we look inside.
When it comes to the wider eco story, it's worth knowing that 30% of the ELO is made from recycled materials, and it's all 100% recyclable. For instance, the bumpers and those wing pads I mentioned are expanded polypropylene (the same sort of lightweight, recyclable stuff used in Decathlon helmets). It's a more conscious way of building cars that we’re seeing more of now - take the fab Slate Truck for example - and if you haven’t already check out our video of that here on the channel.
I need to talk about Goodyear, so here’s a tyre nerd moment. Goodyear has built “smart” tyres for ELO that monitor pressure and wear. You can check it in an app, and there’s an LED in the wheel that tells you at a glance if all’s well (green) or you’re running low (red). They’ve done a low-rolling-resistance tread for added range, but with extra grippy sections for the occasional off-road detour. And the wheels themselves go for a smooth honeycomb look - better aero, more efficiency. Basically: city shoes that can still handle a muddy shortcut to the campsite.
Interior and technology
This is where it gets really interesting. The Citroen ELO's headline party trick is that the driver sits in the middle, up front with a huge wraparound windscreen for an almost panoramic view.
Citroen has developed the ‘Smartband’ from the Oli concept, a wide horizontal strip at the bottom of the windscreen. Here the display is projected onto a transparent film across the windscreen that makes it look like the information is hovering in front of you. Cheaper than a full head-up display, but still very futuristic. We've already seen tech just like this in the Citroen e-C3, where it's very effective as a simple, cost-effective alternative to a traditional digital driver's display.
And the steering wheel? A modern nod to the brand's old single-spoke design that first appeared in the 1955 Citroen DS. Only there's a modern twist, as you’ll find two joystick-shaped buttons that control all the digital functions. It’s that blend of nostalgia and “what if we did this again, but modern and more clever?” that Citroën does really well.
Now, let’s get back to that rest, work and play part – ELO doubles as a mobile office. Spin the driver’s seat round, clip a little table on, and you’ve got a surprisingly decent sized workspace. Even the display adapts so your meeting or schedule can sit right in your eye-line.
Practicality and boot space
Behind the driver's seat there are three equal-width seats that make up row two. They fold, they lift out, and yes - you can actually use them as outdoor chairs. Then, hidden under the outer rear seats, there are two extra pop-out chairs. Flip them up and suddenly you’ve got a six-seater without losing boot space. And because there’s no centre pillar and the rear doors open the opposite way, the whole side just becomes one big welcome mat. Getting in with kids, bags, dogs - whatever your chaos is - is very straightforward.
Are the seats comfy? Of course they are, I’m in a Citroen. And they have the "chocolate square" pattern in their foam padding, too, which I think looks very cool.
As for the boot, well - here's a fun fact for you: On average, a car spends nearly 95% of its time parked and unused. So Citroen wants to make sure that parked time is useful rather than wasted. This is where Decathlon’s clever, thoughtful touches really show. Tucked into the boot are two fold-out inflatable mattresses, made with the same 'Dropstitch' tech Decathlon uses for paddleboards. You pull them out, unfold, and the car’s built-in compressor inflates them. Then the cabin becomes a flat, proper two-person sleep space. Even the rear lights double as bedside lamps.
And if sleeping isn’t your thing, you can turn the interior into a little cinema lounge by attaching a camera to it via the provided mounting point. I mean, tell me you wouldn’t watch a film in here while it rains outside? I would. With popcorn, of course.
That’s not where the useful details end, either. Hooks in the ELO's doors let you string up an awning on either side, turning it into a mini festival tent. And you get vehicle-to-load (V2L), so the car can power an e-BBQ, lights, a coolbox, a speaker… whatever takes your fancy.
Pricing and on sale date
You're at it again, aren't you? You know that this is a concept car, and I don't know when it's going on sale - or even what car it will form. I don't know about you, but I reckon the ELO is going to lend much of its design and usefulness to the next Citroen Berlingo. It'd make a lot of sense, don't you think? We don't know when that might arrive, but when it does, I really hope that it gets the ELO's cleverness and design flair.
Verdict
Years ago, a car designer told me EVs would revolutionise car design because designers wouldn’t have to squeeze an engine or exhaust system into the same old spaces. And if I’m honest, I haven’t seen as much of that design revolution as I'd hoped. But this? This feels like a proper glimpse of where things could be heading. As if I need to say it again; I really love the ELO Concept.
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