First of all I need to say I apologise if you have ordered or own one of these. I don't mean this personally. I agree it has a use case.

I was driving through Overton today and there was one of the new Electric Citroen Ami things parked adjacent to the road. It was a 20 limit and a clear road so I had plenty of time to scope it out.

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/citroen-ami-priced-%C2%A37695-uk


I understand the goals of the car were eco, BEV, city transport but I have to say this was one of the ugliest things I have seen on four wheels. I know the original Ami was not exactly a looker with it's weird shapes but this is horrid. The grey finish (ABS plastic) shapes and proportions combine to be ghastly. Citroen have produced some fine designs in the past - SM, CX, DS, GS. Even the 2CV had a gallic charm about it's shape. Renault made it pretty funky with the Twizy and Zoe.

I really cannot think of another car on sale today which is so unashamedly ugly. Why? £8000 for something that can be outrun by a cycle courier.

Well we need something to balance the beauty of Morgans. It is pug ugly

I think form over function works in this case.

I've been in one! My mate, a Ctiroen fanatic, put down a deposit a couple of years ago and got a test drive last year when the local dealer got their first one. He then cancelled the order and got his deposit back.

I'm told there's a good market for them in France, where the law allows them to be driven at 14 ... parents buy them for their kids to stop them from getting motorbikes. Apparently, you can also legally drive them there even if you've lost your licence, so beware if you see one on the continent, it's probably being driven by a school kid or a drunk.

My friend tells me they are a lot of problems with them, they leak in the rain for one thing. They are a curious construction, just two mouldings glued together so the front is identical to the back and the doors open in different directions. I can't see any market for them here.

Looks better with quirky paintwork. Overpriced for the construction techniques and limitations though.

Here in Madrid you can rent one for your short trips in the city, via an APP. I've done that a couple of times choosing the Citroën AMI, and I would never do it again unless desperate...

Why? Because the car is limited at 50 km/h. And despite it's the legal city speed limit, it's incredible slow in real traffic. It annoys other drivers as much as a bicycle or these damn electric "scooters". You get stressed like you can't imagine!

So, as the different carsharing apps offer other electric vehicles, we always choose a proper fast one, and not the AMI.

About the looks of this car, it's funny. Ultra basic. I'm sure it will find it's niche market, but I bet it will be extremely rare to see one of these owned by anyone.

Here's a pal of mine living with one .... there's a series of youtube clips .... he's an ex single-seater Hillclimb driver who now competes in a lovely flatrad Morgan and an Austin 7 special. He'll try anything once!!

K

I can't really see any situation where that would be a suitable solution. In a busy metropolis where traffic speeds rarely get about 20mph, parking is usually a nightmare so I'd take public transport, walk or cycle (at a push).

In any other situation, the low top speed and tiny range (46miles) would mean it would be of very limited use. Not even sure you could get a weeks shopping in there?

Former UK Peel P50 customers may find this car extremely spacious and comfortable.

A company here has got 20 of them, they are used in much the same way as electric hire bikes and scooters. They are parked in various places unlocked via an app, drop them off at any of a number of designated areas, pretty near perfect in Jersey with narrow roads, 40 mph max speed limit but more typically between 15 and 30mph.