There was much excitement recently with the announcement from Citroen that they were going to release the all electric Ami in the UK. Pre-order interest topped 10,000 and refundable deposits were taken.
Citroën have gotten away quite lightly with the resurrecting an old name. Unlike Ford whose launch of the ‘new’ Puma caused several internet servers to spontaneously combust taking with it many websites. They also caused much the same outrage when the Mustang Mach-e was launched.
Little History
The Ami was originally based on the 2CV A-series platform. It really was an early pioneer of platform sharing also spawning the Dyane. The car Citroën had hopped would replace the 2CV.
Ami however was much more upmarket. It’s design was more car orientated. You could say the Ami 6 and later Ami 8 were a little avant-garde and very much love-it or hate-it on terms of design. Personally here at Driven It, it’s rather well liked. Trying to avoid the typical clichés, it was outrageous in design compared to the competition. Even Renault didn’t have something as odd-ball as this in their range of cars for all.
City Life
The premise for the new Ami is purely based as a city car. Its overall dimensions are tiny yet it feels much larger inside partially due to the seating arrangement. You sit pretty much on top of the rear wheels. This then lends itself to a cabin that feels very much like the Tardis with huge expanses before you. There is also notable lack of front wheel arch intrusion within the foot wells.
And here is where the Ami excels. It’s not a car but actually a quadricycle. The basis for the car is an open frame clothed in composite grey plastic made from 4 moulded panels, a roof, some windows and a floor. This keeps production costs down. Also keeping costs down is the one moulding for the doors. This means the drivers door, pavement side because they aren’t going to convert to right hand drive, is rear hinged. It does make accessing very easy and being left hand drive makes it more suited to UK city driving. It would though benefit from larger door mirrors.
It really is a hoot to drive. The electric motor readily spins the front wheels when you press the go-pedal to the floor and its controls all very much car like in how it works. It might look a little alien but it is not when driving.
Don’t expect a luxury driving experience. The ride can only be described as acceptable. It’s choppy and rather harsh particularly for a car carrying the double chevrons. And it’s not quiet. To keep costs and weight down to a minimum, sound insulation appears to have been left off the list.
It’s not all bad though despite the seats looking like those from your school classroom. They are surprisingly comfortable and ideal for its use in short distance traveling.
Gripes
I have a few problems with the Ami. One is safety. Because it’s not a car, there is the absence of a Euro NCAP rating. Which lately has become a victim of its own success with cars having stars removed because they lack driving aids like lane keep assist and blind spot detection. Nothing to do then with safety in the ‘event of an accident’ anymore.
And speed. According to TFL, the average traffic speeds are around 14 kph for central London, 20 kph for inner London and 30-35 kph for outer London. Why TFL don’t use miles per hour on their website is beyond me. This works out between 9 to 22 mph. So the Ami’s top speed of 28mph you would think would be totally accepted.
But it is not. In practice around Citroën head quarters on Coventry, the Ami was just too slow. When I lived in Croydon there were times when 30mph seemed slow even in rush hour traffic. For my current commute where I travel down a not very fast country for a few miles, I would not be popular.
For me the Ami does not make a viable purchase. I have the town one way and the countryside the other. Make it travel up to 40mph and I would change my mind. Would I want to take one up to 40mph? You bet I would. It’s a hoot to drive.
Driven It Score: 4/10
Love
Different
Fun
Space
Loathe
Top speed
Small door mirrors
Asking price
The Lowdown
Car – Citroën Ami
Price – £6000
Range – 47 miles
Power – 5.5kWh lithium battery
Top Speed – 28 mph