The Citroën Ami will be going on sale in the UK, after the French brand reported ‘unprecedented customer demand’ for the electric microcar.
The quirky little EV, which is technically not a car but a quadricycle, was first unveiled in February 2020 and is a rival to the Renault Twizy.
At the time, Citroën insisted that it had no intentions to make the Ami available in the UK. However, the brand claims that more than 12,000 potential customers in Britain have expressed interest in the Ami, which Citroën describes as part of its quest “to deliver affordable and clean mobility solutions that are accessible to all.”
The two-seater is designed for short journeys in very urban environments – it has no boot and Citroën says there is space for the driver, a passenger “and one small item of luggage”.
It carries a 5.5kWh battery that can be recharged in three hours to give a range of up to 46 miles at speeds up to 28mph. The vehicle measures only 2.4 metres long and also offers a very tight turning circle of just 7.2 metres.
A full UK driving licence will be required to drive the Ami – in some continental countries users as young as 14 are permitted to drive it.
While it will be sold in the UK, only left-hand drive versions will be available. However the car’s all-round visibility and width of just 1.4 metres mean that the seating position should be less of a problem for UK drivers.
Citroën is understood to be planning a series of personalisation options for the Ami, including a range of replacements for the lightweight plastic body panels – a tactic used by another microcar manufacturer, Smart, in the past.
In total the vehicle weighs just 485kg while the design also includes a nod to Citroën’s iconic 2CV, the side windows opened by flipping the glass up to a raised position.
Industry sources suggest prices of the Ami will be likely to start around £6,000. As it is classed as a quadricycle, it will not be eligible for the UK Government’s plug-in car grant scheme.
Customers who have not already expressed interest in the AMI are able to now reserve one with payment of a £250 refundable fee.
