Following the first pictures of the new Citroen Cactus Concept, we can now bring you the official details of the car. As predicted, the Cactus boasts the firm’s Hybrid Air drivetrain, which is like a normal hybrid but with compressed air and hydraulics in place of the batteries and electric motors.
This highly sophisticated system is quite complicating to understand, but the results of it is plain to see: 94mpg (under 3l/100km), no charging, no range anxiety, and maintenance and servicing. They really seem to be onto something with this Hybrid Air technology, but it ha to be tested in the real world to prove itself.
Essentially a jacked up hatchback, the Citroen Cactus Concept presents a vision for the future of Citroen’s C-line. The car has a very interesting design with ‘Floating’ roof and rear quarter panels on top of pillar-less doors, a bright and airy cabin with a large panoramic sunroof, and unique front and rear-end designs.
The real highlight of Cactus’s design is a new feature called the ‘Airbump’. Basically air capsules with supple material, they not only serve as a styling feature covering the the sides and bumpers of the car, they also protect the body work form dents and scratches.
Citroen Cactus Concept also features an innovative interior, where the instrument cluster is replaced with a 7-inch screen, and the control buttons with an 8-inch touchscreen. The latter controls all vehicle functions including air-conditioning, audio, satnav, connected services and driver aids. It also has its passenger airbag installed in the ceiling, which is a first.