Citroen has confirmed its cute Ami electric city car will go on sale in the UK next year after attracting “unprecedented customer demand”. The boxy vehicle, which is technically classed as a quadricycle and has a top speed of just 28 mph, is already on sale in France, but will soon arrive on these shores too.
Designed with the sole purpose of providing cheap electric mobility in urban environments, the Ami is a two-seat vehicle with a plastic body and a utilitarian interior. There’s no touchscreen and there are no conventional door handles, with a phone mount and fabric door pulls in their place.
Externally, the panels are interchangeable, allowing cheap and easy maintenance, as well as ample personalisation options for customers, while the doors themselves are identical, so they are cheaper to make and replace. However, that does mean they are hinged at different ends of the car.
Further evidence of cost-cutting means the Ami will remain left-hand drive when it is launched in the UK. Given the car’s compact dimensions, that’s unlikely to be an issue for most drivers, and it means you get kerbside access to the driver’s seat when you park up at the side of the road.
With a compact electric powertrain, the Ami has a range of 46 miles between charges and the top speed is limited to just 28 mph. Despite these limitations, prospective buyers in the UK will still need a full driving licence to get behind the wheel.
Once there, though, they’ll be able to take advantage of the tight turning circle and microscopic footprint, with the whole car measuring in at 2.4 metres long. That makes the little Citroen shorter than the Ford Fiesta by around 1.5 metres.
Despite those dimensions, the Ami provides space for two inside, as well as offering provision for “one small item of luggage”. The cabin is made airier by a panoramic glass roof, and the car also offers a heater and flip-up side windows that hark back to the days of the old 2CV.
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This simple-but-effective method of design means the Ami will likely be very cheap. UK pricing is yet to be announced, but in France, the Ami costs around 6,000 euros, and a similar figure is expected in Britain.
“I am absolutely delighted to announce that Citroen Ami is launching in the UK,” said Citroen UK managing director Eurig Druce. “With cities and urban areas introducing stricter limits for vehicles, and people demanding new mobility solutions, Ami shows once again how Citroen is adapting to meet the demands of the times. Citroen Ami is a new all-electric mobility solution for the UK that’s totally unique – fun, exciting and accessible to all. After thousands of UK buyers have already registered their interest in Citroen Ami, we are very excited to confirm that the Ami will arrive in the country in spring 2022.”
Gallery: Citroën Ami