Citroën C-Cactus: Low Impact Motoring

Motoring Channel Staff - 4/September/2007

Paris, France — Citroën's new vehicle, the C-Cactus, is on show at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show. And the name? Well, not unlike a cacti the C-Cactus is very miserly in its use of precious resources.

For example, it's construction comes from a significant proportion of recycled or recyclable materials. It uses far less parts to manufacture than most cars, and it also features a hybrid HDi drivetrain, which returns a stunning 3.4L/100km and CO2 emissions of 78g/km.

Based on the C4 hatchback, Citroën has not added the 'concept car' label to this car, but released a statement suggesting that it wants to build a new vehicle that does away with all but the most basic equipment. "[Citroën's] ambitious aim is to market an ecological hatchback with cheerful, attractive styling, equipped with a hybrid HDi drivetrain and sold at the same price as an entry-level C4."

The Citroën C-Cactus is so ecological that the dashboard has been completely removed."The dashboard has gone," reads the Citroën statement, "and its usual functions are now grouped on the central console and the fixed hub of the steering wheel". This creates a futuristic steering wheel that seems to sprout a long way from its source.

This intriguing idea will appeal to those who want to lower their carbon footprint, and while the dashboard is gone, the central console now includes the stereo speakers, the gearbox controls and touch screen for interacting with the satellite navigation and the cooling/heating controls. The steering wheel hub houses the speedo and tachometre.

Citroën's eco-friendly vehicle doesn't have the usual ignition key either. It uses a portable MP3 player instead. It plugs into the fixed hub of the steering wheel and readies the engine.

It's a curious idea, but one that may gain momentum with as awareness of such a 'resource friendly' vehicle increases. We'll know more when Frankfurt Motor Show starts in earnest.

The design borrows its proportions from Mini Cooper body shape. It's squat, small, and a little bit freaky. The front end features a pair of circular headlights that may as well have come from the Mini spare parts bin. You can imagine the chief designer telling his underlings to do something about the "Mini" front end. And that's whythe two large air intakes look completely out of place.

Citroën says the cars design "give it a fun look and strong appeal, while the angles and rounded lines of the bodywork underline its dynamic character". 

The French vehicle is 4.2 metres long and 1.8 metres wide and includes features such as a panoramic sunfoof, high quality stereo system, automatic temperature control, cruise control and a speed limiter.

Sitting on 21-inch wheels with custom made Michelin tyres (complete with organic tread patterns), the C-Cactus has that underlying show car look nailed. Even the rear end styling is attention grabbing. The rear lights are mounted vey high, there's huge 'Cactus' lettering and a segemented bumper bar (bumper strips). The rear lights are not normal either, with cut-outs through the interior plastic to let the driver see through. "This innovation considerably increases the driver's field of vision and may be particularly useful in manoeuvres, for example," says Citroën.

Powered by an efficient hybrid HDi diesel engine that consumes just 3.4L/100km over the combined cycle, the Citroën C-Cactus can attain ZEV, or Zero Emission Vehicle status, in urban use. The intelligent engine can provide a silent, all-electric operation at lower speeds, using zero fuel.

Citroën explains that other techniques have been employed that show a greater respect the environment, such as using fewer parts in the construction of the vehicle to make it 15% lighter than a C4 Hybride HDi. It weighs 1306kg in total and has a limited top speed of 150km/h.

It also uses about half the number of interior parts that most cars use, so that when the C-Cactus's production costs come down, so does it's sticker price. Citroën expects a vehicle such as the C-Cactus would be priced similarly to an entry-level C4. 

The door panels in a conventional hatchback are usually made up of 12 part. The C-Cactus whittles this down to just two large parts, and the same priciple has been applied to almost everything in the cars manufacture. 

Technical Specifications:

• Dimensions
  - Length: 4200mm
  - Width: 1800mm
  - Height: 1490mm
  - Wheelbase: 2800mm
  - Weight: 1306 kg (batteries included)
  
  Performance
  - Top speed: 150km/h
  - Fuel consumption: 3.4L/100km
  - CO2 emissions: 78g/km
  

• Diesel Hybrid
  - 70hp HDi diesel engine with a DPFS and 5-speed auto
  - 30hp electric motor installed in the clutch housing
  - ZEV mode

• Aerodynamics
  - Cd: 0.35
  - CdA: 0.8 m²

• Running gear
  - C4 platform

• Main Equipment
  - Touch screen navigation system
  - Portable MP3 player with a touch screen playing the role of ignition key
  - Air conditioning with automatic temperature control
  - High-quality audio system
  - Speed limiter and cruise control
  - Electric handbrake

Related articles:
- Citroën C-Airscape Concept (2007)
- Citroen C-Crosser SUV (2007)
- Citroën C6 (2006)
- Citroën C-Métisse (concept)