Citroen's Crazy Concept Van Had Beds, An Office, And McLaren F1-Style Seating

The driver sits in the middle like in a McLaren F1, but for different reasons. It's an electric MPV and "an ideas laboratory" for Citroën. Oh, and it also takes people to different places. Because despite all those other things, it's still a vehicle.

The brand uses the term "reinvented," but so do all automakers that use the term "mobility" a lot, but the Elo (REST, PLAY, WORK) is incredibly creative if you like the idea of a modern Volkswagen Microbus.

A Tiny House On Wheels
Of course, Citroën doesn't mention the classic VW Microbus but if you look at the VW ID. Buzz, the parallels are there. However, the Elo is designed to take the idea of a family van further. The basis of the inside is a modular approach that "meets the demands of a fast-paced life between commuting, leisure, family activities, teleworking and impromptu getaways." The standard model has four seats with a centrally positioned driver's seat, which can be spun around "for conversation or work."

Two more seats can be "deployed," or transformed into "a sleeping space for two people, a home cinema room, a power supply, and many other uses." Citroën sees the concept as a Swiss army knife for modern living. Offering a place to relax, whether it's waiting for the kids to come out of school, waiting for an appointment, or just choosing to take a break.

The mattresses are kept in special storage compartments in the trunk and made of inflatable material that Citroën says is used for surfboards, kayaks and paddleboards. The rear lights are mounted inside, and become bedside lamps when the mattresses aren't covering them, which is a slick piece of design.

For camping and outdoor activities, an awning is built in. The trunk opening has been designed to also be a seat for when you need to change in or out of hiking boots, and the rear seats can be pulled out to become outdoor seating. V2L technology allows the EV's batteries to be used to power a base camp, and even the bumper guards are designed to be flat as a place to put down plates or drink containers.

"We are very proud of ELO because it is the perfect expression of what design should be: combining form and function. ELO is a bubble of energy, both in terms of its colorful and endearing personality and its modernity, but also in terms of all the possibilities it offers for enjoying an intense and rich life. The Citroën Design team had a lot of fun coming up with a model designed down to the smallest detail to be practical, fun, and clever. Sharing expertise with the designers at Goodyear and Decathlon was also a very stimulating part of developing this concept, thanks to the creativity and technical solutions they were able to bring to the table.”
- Pierre Leclercq, Citroën style director.

An Office On Wheels

Citroën seems keen that the Elo be somewhere to work as well, and claims that "hybrid working methods have become increasingly popular in recent years, and it is not uncommon to have to join a meeting at short notice or to make more permanent arrangements to work while on the move." Hence, the van can be turned on the fly into a mobile office with the driver's seat becoming and office chair and the screens can adapt to video conference duty, display meeting schedules, and manage calls.

The display system is an evolving design based on the principle of projecting information onto a special surface. The flat screens are reflected on a transparent screen equipped with a reflective film, and information "appears to float transparently across the entire width of the windscreen." It's not just useful and aesthetically pleasing, Citroën claims it's far "less expensive technology in terms of development and potential production than a conventional head-up display."

An Influencer's Dream 

It's become a common theme for concepts to deliberately appeal to influencers now, and with a mobile office baked in, it's perfect for that sponsored social media life. So, we expect the Elo to get a lot of attention when it first goes on display at the Brussels Motor Show on January 9, 2026.

For the rest of us, work isn't a 24/7 thing and the whole point of getting in a car is to leave work behind. But, ignore that, and the rest of the concept is thoughtful and well engineered. Citroën even mentions that the driver's seat being mounted in the middle is not just a useful piece of practical engineering, but also a cost benefit – Citroën wouldn't have to make a right- and left-hand drive version.