Citroën’s new ELO concept packs a bedroom, a cinema corner and a playful approach to space
Citroën’s latest spark of imagination, the ELO concept, shows how far a compact electric MPV can push its comfort ambitions. It measures only 4.1 metres yet the French brand believes it can seat six people and turn into either a mini suite or a rolling cinema with a few quick shifts of its interior. The first impression is almost comical, as if someone read the handbook for future cars and decided that limits were optional.
The name ELO comes from the middle letters of rest, play and work. Citroën claims the concept covers all three, and for once the marketing team did not exaggerate. The car really does let its passengers unwind, have fun and get things done.
At 4.1 metres long, ELO looks like a spiritual successor to the old C3 Picasso. The resemblance ends there. Enormous 21 inch wheels, a bonnetless body and a wraparound glass silhouette put it in a different world. Box shaped sliding doors open the cabin so widely that it feels more like a lounge than a car. The lights sit outside the body panels, while the wheel rims carry patterns that could pass as gallery pieces. Even the badges glow with a soft, contemporary light.
Inside, ELO offers more space and flexibility for six occupants than the numbers suggest. The driver’s seat sits in the centre and swivels through 180 degrees. Both adjacent seats can be removed entirely when the cabin needs to act as a studio or when the family wants to host a board game night. A three seat sofa in the back converts into a compact bed once the built in compressor inflates the air mattresses. Keep it in its upright position and the crew can face a screen that folds out from the rear panel for a film session while the battery lasts.
Since the concept is designed as a mobile living space, Citroën fitted a single spoke steering wheel. Traditional instruments make way for a transparent display projected close to the windscreen. Small items slip into the hollowed sections of the doors and side walls, which are more abundant than in some city flats.
Goodyear created special tyres for ELO. Their grip level and wear can be managed through an app and they adapt to various surfaces. Colour indicators built into the rims show changes in pressure. They remain strictly conceptual but match the bold imagination of the vehicle. Citroën is keeping the electric powertrain under wraps and guards details of the batteries and motors as if waiting to surprise visitors at the Brussels motor show opening in 2026.
Volkswagen’s ID Buzz currently represents the closest real world alternative to this philosophy, although ELO walks further into conceptual territory. Manufacturers are searching for new spatial tricks in the small electric car segment, an area where technical figures often blur together. If Citroën brings even a fraction of ELO’s ideas into production, the market could gain an intriguing contrast, clever compact models that deliver comfort without relying on oversized bodies.
ELO leaves the impression that Citroën is not bound by strict spreadsheets or rigid engineering logic. It lets the ideas breathe. Judging by the reaction so far, plenty of people will queue for a glimpse inside this bubble of the future.
