Basf and Goodyear have collaborated with Citroën on the Oli concept car, a fully electric car that aims to demonstrate how much can be saved by reducing vehicle weight and the amount of resources used. Basf worked on the materials that make up this concept car with such an original design. Various components have been radically reinterpreted and constructed using unusual materials: the entire backrest, for example, is made of a flexible 3D-printed plastic (Ultrasint® TPU88A). The rear armrests and the interior floor covering, for example, are made from Infinergy®: thermoplastic polyurethane foam (TPU), also used for running shoes and sports structures. A material as elastic as rubber, but lighter, stronger and highly abrasion-resistant.
The rear armrests and the inner floor covering, for example, are made of Infinergy®: thermoplastic polyurethane foam (TPU), also used for running shoes and sports structures. A material as elastic as rubber, but lighter, stronger and highly abrasion-resistant. Although stability and durability have been enhanced, the weight of the vehicle has been significantly reduced. The bonnet, roof and boot are made of panels that combine the Elastoflex® polyurethane system with the Elastocoat® spray paint system. Thanks to their sandwich and honeycomb structure, these panels are so stable that they can stand upright.
In terms of tyres, the Citroën Oli is equipped with Goodyear’s Eagle Go tyre, whose tread compound is made from sustainable or recycled materials including sunflower oil, pine resin, natural rubber and silica derived from rice husks. These materials are currently being used to produce ‘vegetable ink’ for printers. Goodyear’s goal is to completely replace petroleum-derived oils in its products by 2040. The Eagle GO tyre has the possibility to be retreaded twice during its life, thus increasing its lifespan. Goodyear has set the ambitious goal of reaching 500,000 kilometres with the Eagle GO concept tyre, thanks to the reuse of the sustainable carcass and renewable tread.
