‘YOU HAVE TO THINK BEYOND NORMAL’

The radical Oli concept gives a tantalising look at Citroën's future. But, according to its CEO, there is much more to come. Here is Vincent Cobée's manifesto for change

Less excess, less consumption but more fun. Cars of the future must be sustainable while still delivering mobility, freedom and aspiration. We must treasure and desire them. That's easy to write but hard to do. The Oli concept is a demonstration of that belief.

It sounds obvious to say that natural resources have a limited supply, but it's a realisation that society is only just coming to. There's a shift to restraint and sobriety, and expectation that our actions should have at least a neutral impact on the planet we live on.

The tension is that very few people wake up in bed in the morning energised by sacrifices they have to make. This sustainable vision has to be desired, not endured - and at Citroën we believe that if we change our thinking, then we can get there. We all want to wake up excited by our cars. Acting in a positive way for the planet doesn't have to be sad.

In fact, it can't be: there won't be mass adoption of sustainable ideas unless they are attainable, useful and fun. That's what Oli is: bright, innovative, a little bit cheeky and, above all, affordable. World exclusive: it's never going to spawn a £250,000 supercar!

We want to put Citroën at the forefront of that debate, because that is where it belongs. Citroën has been challenging conventions throughout its history, so let's have the energy to do it again. We might get it right. We might get it wrong. But let's dare to be different.

The 2CV offered liberation when comfort wasn't as important as freedom; DS brought an engineering revolution when it was. Mehari was a tiny, lightweight plastic car in 1968! We have always believed there can be another route to the destination.