Citroën has unveiled the ELO concept car that experiments with interior design, layout and modularity, making the most of its 100% electric architecture. With a compact length of 4.10 meters, it can accommodate up to six people.
Citroën has drawn on the expertise of its partners, Goodyear and Decathlon, to develop practical, technical materials committed to sustainability. The concept will make its debut at the Brussels Motor Show, January 9, 2026.
By focusing on purpose-built electric vehicle architectures, the brand is freeing up new space and rethinking the interior as a proper living space that is practical, functional and accessible. Seating the driver centrally in the ELO liberates space for passengers and removes the need for left- and right-hand drive models. The standard model has four seats with a centrally positioned driver’s seat, which offers a new feeling of visibility with a 180° windscreen.
Following research into how people really live, Citroën concluded that cars could play a greater role. It has included several features prioritizing versatility: the driver’s seat on its special mounting can be turned around for conversation or work and if necessary, two additional seats can be deployed to carry a total of six people. The concept can also be transformed into a sleeping space for two people, a home cinema room and a power supply, as well as many other uses.
Conscious of cost, Citroën has designed parts, such as the bumpers front and rear, to be identical, which means manufacturing fewer new parts, making it cheaper to build and potentially cutting insurance costs.
Taking sustainability and innovation into consideration, Citroën also factored in the re-purposing of existing parts – reimagining components already in use by Decathlon to further cut production costs and reduce its overall carbon footprint. It also changed the treatment processes for materials such as polypropylene, boosting recyclability and cutting carbon output.
Expanded polypropylene, the same material used in Decathlon cycle helmets, lines the driver’s seat sides, lower bumpers and the flat surfaces of the four wings. Made of 30% recycled material and fully recyclable, it reduces the total number of body parts and the vehicle’s weight.
Goodyear developed a driver-friendly system for monitoring tire pressure: if a tire is underinflated, a red LED illuminates on the wheel; if the tire pressure is adequate, the LED glows green.
“ELO is a new step at a remarkable time for Citroën, marked by the complete renewal of the range in two years and our entry to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. ELO is an ideas laboratory that perfectly embodies Citroën’s values and opens up perspectives on what drives our thinking today. It ticks all the boxes of what has been the brand’s DNA for more than 100 years and what I want to nurture in the coming years: creative, bold, accessible, responsible, ingenious and dedicated to well-being. It is totally in tune with the times and offers concrete, innovative solutions to promote freedom of movement and a better life. Its style expresses friendliness and joie de vivre, and its ultra-modular interior is designed as a living space in its own right. It is full of clever features and simple technology to make everyday life easier. ELO sends a strong message that conveys our vision of what Citroën should be,” said Xavier Chardon, CEO of Citroën.
“We are very proud of ELO because it is the perfect expression of what design should be: combining form and function. ELO is a bubble of energy, both in terms of its colorful and endearing personality and its modernity, but also in terms of all the possibilities it offers for enjoying an intense and rich life. The Citroën design team had a lot of fun coming up with a model designed down to the smallest detail to be practical, fun and clever. Sharing expertise with the designers at Goodyear and Decathlon was also a very stimulating part of developing this concept, thanks to the creativity and technical solutions they were able to bring to the table,” said Pierre Leclercq, Citroën style director.
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