In the dark times of ecological transition we are going through, there are still motorists who choose a car for performance. Purists, for sure. they would not buy this EV.
Hold on tight, actually no. You can make yourself comfortable and find out all about the light electric two-seater quadricycle produced by Citroen starting in 2020. The Ami was launched in the midst of the global pandemic, arousing the curiosity of many ecologists. What is special about this little electric microcar? Let’s find out together and it won’t make your hair out.
The French car was unveiled on 27 February 2020 at the Paris La Défense Arena and marketed from June 2020. The name recalls friendship, but who friend would get into such a car? Jokes aside, the Ami has only one two-tone body color, which can be customized with stickers. Citroen launched the Ami One concept first in 2019 to then start production in the Moroccan PSA factory in Kenitra the following year.
The Ami recalls the historic Citroen Ami 6 and Ami 8, made in the 60s and 70s. The dimensions of the car are, truly, mini. The Citroen Ami is just 240 cm long, 30 cm less than the Smart Fortwo, and mounts an electric motor with 8 HP. It features 14-inch wheels and 155/65 R14 specification tyres. The brakes are disc on the front and drum on the rear. The turning radius of the car is 7.2 m.
Auto, the performance of Ami
Citroen has certainly not thought about entertainment. It is a city car that can be driven from the age of 14. The choice of a youthful look stems from the aim of mainly involving that age group. The Ami enjoys frontal and lateral symmetry. The front and rear bumpers are the same and the door openings are offset.
The doors are rear-hinged on the driver’s side and front-hinged on the passenger’s side. Either you like the design or it sends a shiver down your spine, but it must be said that Ami is original. The half-opening window is a reference to the legendary 2CV. The light clusters are placed on two levels and two symmetrical seats are also placed in the passenger compartment, but only one of which is sliding.
The car has that touch of modernity. The smartphone can be placed on the dashboard. It is a microcar designed for young people, but complete with storage and also has space for a small suitcase. Being approved as a moped, circulation is already possible at 14 years of age. The 6 kW electric motor allows a range of 75 km and recharges in 3 hours. The car reaches a top speed of just 45 km/h. Can cars be recycled? Here’s what materials are recovered.
Despite the low performance, there are those who crashed like crazy at the Monaco hairpin. Seeing is believing. This EV should be enthusiastically driven in traffic, being able to find parking easily. The 5.5 kWh batteries are placed under the floor. To charge the car, simply plug it into a Schuko socket integrated into the right-hand side. The cable, on the other hand, is positioned inside the pillar of the passenger side door. The price? 7,600 euros.
