Citroën has confirmed it will produce 1,000 Ami electric pushchairs which will go on sale next year – and some may be heading to the UK.
The Ami electric quadricycle has been a success for the French brand since its presentation in 2020.
It also triggered the production of 50 limited edition Ami Buggy models to be sold in France only earlier this year – all of which were purchased within 18 minutes of being announced.
However, Citroën says it will make a further 1,000 examples to sell to European customers, with prices expected to top £8,700.
While a doorless electric vehicle with a range of 46 miles could be a good option for summer in the south of France, the microcar on display could become the worst possible vehicle on sale for UK winters – especially with another outburst of arctic weather expected after Christmas.
Britain’s worst winter vehicle? Citroën confirms that it will produce a limited run of 1,000 doorless Ami electric buggies, some of which may be available to UK customers. With an arctic storm coming, this could be the most unsuitable model for our roads at this time of year.
Citroën announced on Thursday that only 1,000 limited-edition My Ami Buggy models will go on sale next year.
This is Money has contacted the manufacturer’s UK division and a spokesperson has told them there is no confirmation yet as to whether any product will be sold in Britain, with details of availability to come. in the spring of 2023.
The commitment to make more examples of the Doorless Ami follows the huge success of the conventional electric passenger model which has been on sale in the UK since this year.
The electric vehicle – which technically qualifies as a ‘light quadricycle’ and not a car, and can therefore be driven by motorists from the age of 16 with an AM moped license – costs from £7,695 in the UK Uni and is also available as a single-seat utility vehicle designed for last-mile deliveries around town.
The small engine is only 2.4 meters long, 1.4 meters wide and 1.5 meters high, making it the smallest “car” currently on the road.
Performance is equally modest, with power provided by a 5.5kW battery and an 8hp electric motor driving the front wheels, delivering a limited top speed of just 28mph.
Range on a full charge is just 46 miles, although the compact battery only takes three hours to recharge using a conventional three-prong household plug and socket.
A production run of 1,000 has been confirmed after the original release of 50 special edition My Ami Buggy models sold in France within 18 minutes of availability
Citroen UK says it cannot yet confirm whether any of the 1,000 My Ami Buggies will be sold to UK customers. Here’s how it compares to the conventional Ami EV that recently went on sale in the UK
The My Ami Buggy is based on this concept vehicle under the same name that Citroën first revealed in December 2021
If that doesn’t sound extreme enough, the My Ami Buggy takes things to a whole new level.
It’s a pared-down version of a wacky concept that Ami, the brand revealed last December – and says it has received “overwhelmingly positive reception” from potential customers.
While the concept had no doors, Citroën’s 1,000 production My Ami Buggy featured hinged metal tubes instead of full panels.
It also has a removable soft top section, which is inspired by that of the iconic 2CV. This sunroof-sized fabric cover can be rolled up and stored in a compartment behind both seats.
Dinky and Doorless: The My Ami Buggy will feature these hinged metal tube “doors” instead of the traditional panels.
My Ami Buggy also features a removable soft top section, similar to the iconic 2CV. With temperatures in Britain set to drop dramatically after Christmas, the EV on display may not be the best choice for UK drivers
The limited series of vehicles will go on sale in the spring of 2023. The first deliveries are expected this summer, according to Citroën
While those specs sound idyllic for a short summer trip to a beach on the Mediterranean coast, this might be the least suitable vehicle for Britain’s sub-zero winters.
Citroën says the Ami is already in use on the island of Halki off the coast of Greece where the police and coastguard are taking them. Seven Friends have also been added to the police fleet on the Italian island of La Maddalena.
Could you live with a Citroën Ami?
The Citroen Ami’s tiny dimensions, seating for just two occupants, no trunk, a top speed of 28mph and a range of 46 miles make it one of the most limited vehicles you can legally drive on the road. in Great Britain.
And at £7,695 it’s not cheap.
To find out if we could make a living out of it on a daily basis, we spent a week driving the Citroën Ami at the start of the year.
But the climates of these picturesque seaside resorts will be far from the freezing conditions seen in Britain, especially in winter – this season in particular.
Forecasters this week warned that a fresh burst of Arctic cold weather could be heading for the UK after Christmas as freezing temperatures are predicted across the country until mid-January.
Experts say conditions could see temperatures drop to -11C.
Not what you would call the ideal climate for a car without doors.
The impact of colder temperatures also hampers the battery efficiency of electric cars, with sub-freezing conditions significantly reducing range capabilities. In a vehicle that offers a maximum of 46 miles of driving, this is another reason many will consider the My Ami Buggy a terrible choice for Brits.
Limited-edition doorless models also get a rear roof spoiler – although at top speeds of 28mph we doubt it will generate much downforce – and chunky plastic panel protectors around the headlight cluster and wheel arches.
Citroën says it “will be very similar to the first edition, but with some surprising features compared to the current My Ami Buggy”.
There’s no confirmation on color options yet, with the first 50 cars sold in 2022 only available in military-grade khaki green with yellow accents.
The French manufacturer has stressed that it will be sold on a “first come, first served” basis, with customers interested in a My Ami Buggy being asked to “be ready to seize the opportunity from day one of its launch. sale at the end”. of the first quarter of 2023”.
For this, they will have to submit an expression of interest via the Citroën website.
There’s no confirmation regarding the price, although it’s almost certainly more expensive than the most expensive conventional Ami – the Tonic – which rings in at £8,695.
The first deliveries to European customers should arrive at the end of the summer.
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