Citroen Ami review: Are friends electric?
Why would you consider something as weird as the new Citroen Ami? Well, it’s the cheapest new four-wheeled vehicle on sale in the UK by a country mile. Secondly – and incredibly for just £7,695 – it’s also fully electric. Getting the idea now?
Yes, it looks somewhat unusual. But Citroen has history here, notably with the 2CV, although anyone involved with creating that icon in the 1940s is likely dead by now.
The Ami is just as radical. Designed for the city, its range is just 46 miles and top speed is 28mph. Yet as long as you have access to an electric socket (a home charger or simply a household plug) its abilities could potentially serve your needs.
Back to basics
It drives OK, too. Like every EV, there are no gears to worry about: just press the Drive button and off you go. Visibility is very good and there’s even a glass roof to maximise the light inside. The Ami isn’t fast, but it’s quick enough for town use. And its manoeuvrability in tight spaces is unsurpassed.
Here, I should point out that the Citroen Ami is available only in left-hand-drive form. That’s not quite the issue you might think, because the vehicle is so compact it feels almost like you’re sitting in the centre anyway. Plus, it only has two seats. And, um, no boot. You must stuff your shopping bags into the spacious passenger footwell instead.
Less than £8,000 doesn’t get you any frills. That the indicators don’t self-cancel is the least of it. Notice too my use of the word ‘vehicle’ so far. Strictly speaking, and according to UK law, the Ami isn’t a ‘car’ at all, but an ‘electrically powered quadricycle’.
16-year-olds can drive
Quadricycles are especially popular in France as you don’t need a licence to drive one – ideal for drivers of real cars who have been disqualified… They can be driven by 16-year-olds in the UK (and 14-year-olds in France), although here they need to go through the same hoops as a motorcycle rider. Very sensible.
Look at the Ami and you realise there is something strange going on with the design. Both ends are identical, with clear lights at the front and red lights at the rear. The same goes for the doors; Citroen doesn’t alter the hinges to suit either side of the car, so one is hinged at the front and the other at the rear. Inside, you pull on orange straps to release the door catches, while the windows simply fold upwards if you want some air.
Heating? Sort of. You can get warm air to the screen to de-fog it, but then you must wait for that air to fully percolate the interior to get warm feet. Music? Plug in a rechargeable Bluetooth speaker on top of the dashboard and hook up your phone. You get the idea. This is basic motoring like you’ve never experienced before.
Better than a bike?
If you’ve made it this far and still reckon the Citroen Ami could work for you, you need to understand this. As a quadricycle, none of the safety requirements imposed on conventional cars apply. So there are no airbags, no anti-lock brakes and no sophisticated side, front or rear impact protection built in. The Citroen Ami is lightweight and cheap for many good reasons.
Citroen argues this is simply low-speed city transport that competes with a bicycle, moped or electric scooter – and as such, compares favourably in terms of safety. It’s an argument that is very personal, and understandably won’t be accepted by everyone.
Will its environmental credentials and the option of a £2,370 downpayment and then monthly payments of just £19.99 swing it for you? Buy one online – the only option – and you have 14 days to make up your mind.
Peter Burgess writes for Motoring Research
PRICE: £7,695
POWER: 8hp
0-62MPH: N/A
TOP SPEED: 28mph
RANGE: 46.6 miles
CHARGE TIME: 3 hrs