Citroën Makes Tiny Electric Car for Novice Drivers

Citroën is planning to make a tiny two-seater electric car that can be driven even by novice drivers and will be available on a monthly subscription basis for a nominal amount. It had unveiled Ami as a concept vehicle. Ami is really tiny and is only 2.41 meters long. Technically, it can be called a “light quadricycle” just like the Twizy from Renault and hence it can be driven by those who are as young as 14 years of age in France and by 16-year-olds in the rest of Europe. They do not even legally require a driving license to operate the vehicle.

Another innovation is that though the Ami will be available for outright purchase, it will also be available on a subscription basis and for vehicle rentals on a minute-by-minute and monthly basis, like other micro-mobility solutions.

The monthly subscription charges are likely to be as low as 19.99 Euros (about USD 22) a month after customers make an initial payment of 2,644 Euros (about USD 2,919). Citroën is also planning to provide Ami cars for rent in collaboration with partners like Free2Move if customers want to rent the vehicle for short periods. Rental charges can be as low as 0.26 Euros a minute alongside a monthly subscription of 9.90 euros. The price tag for owning the vehicle outright would be about 6,000 Euros (about USD 6,600). They would even be available for purchase on an online basis.

The most notable aspect about the Ami’s design is its simplicity. The vehicle has symmetrical doors, bumpers, and even under-body panels, thus reducing the number of unique components to a minimum. The interior has been stripped down to just the basics meaning that even if you want to listen to music, you would have to resort to using your phone and a Bluetooth speaker. The car comes with a companion app that can provide customers with details like the Ami’s current charge status, mileage, and maintenance alerts. The app can also be used to locate charging points that are available nearby.

In terms of performance, the Ami has a top speed of 45km/h (about 28 mph), and the vehicle can go as far as 70 km (43 miles) when its 5.5 kWh battery is fully charged. The size of the battery means that the Ami can be charged using a standard 220v European wall outlet in a short time of just three hours.

Citroën plans to begin taking pre-orders for the Ami on March 30th in France, followed by other markets like Spain, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, and Germany. The French automaker plans to commence the first French deliveries of the Ami in June.