Citroen C-Cactus concept

What does Citroen have against the humble camel?

The zany French guys could have named their latest concept the 'C-Camel' and conveyed the same concern for liquid resource conservation.

But no, 'C-Cactus' it is...maybe the cactus doesn't emit greenhouse gases -- as the camel does.

Anyway, the C-Cactus averages a fuel consumption figure of 3.4lt/100km and produces 78g/km of CO2.

So it's a sipper of the precious petroleum reserves and doesn't contribute very much at all to global warming.

Add to this the fact that it's built from easily recyclable materials and uses relatively few parts for easier dismantling and salvage. The interior is constructed from just 200 parts, in Citroen's estimation -- fewer than half the number of interior parts normally used in car production.

This sort of thinking applies right throughout the car's design and if Citroen were to put the C-Cactus into production, the car could be produced and sold at a price approximating the price of the current C4 model; around $25,000. This despite the car's diesel/hybrid drivetrain, which is usually a costly factor in such a car's production budget.

The C-Cactus, as with many Citroen concepts, is fitted with road-going convenience features such as climate control air conditioning, hinting at the car's production readiness.

A key element of the C-Cactus design is the simplification of the vehicle's construction and packaging. It makes do without a formal dashboard and all the instruments and controls are grouped on the fixed hub of the steering wheel or the centre console.

Front panels comprise just two parts; a fixed one-piece component standing in for the front quarter panels and bonnet, plus a service/inspection flap for the engine.

With standard air conditioning, the C-Cactus designers and engineers could cast aside conventional windows and door frames. Windows can be slid open, saving the weight that goes with motors and/or winding mechanisms.

Citroen estimates that the C-Cactus -- weighing 1306kg -- is 15 per cent lighter than the C4 HDi.

Recycled or recyclable parts include unpainted but corrosion-resistant crude steel for the door panels and floor mats made from leather recycled from tannery off-cuts. Raw materials used in the C-Cactus include cork from tree bark and felt produced from wool. The felt is applied to the door inner panels and storage compartments in the centre fascia.

To sum up, the C-Cactus as a production car would be a boon to consumers, since the combined purchase price and running costs would be substantially less than for other cars. Fuel consumption, air quality and 'end-of-life' recycling would all benefit from widespread use of the C-Cactus.

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