There's nothing quite like a Citroen Ami. Jonathan Crouch drives it.

Ten Second Review

Citroen's Ami offers an urban mobility solution for our cities, its quadricycle format allowing it to be cheap, simple and fun. It's left hand drive-only, there's no boot, only two seats and it only goes 46 miles on each electric charge at a maximum of 28mph. But you might still enjoy driving one of these more than any car you've ever owned.

Background

What on earth is this? An old school, quirky, individualistic Citroen. But this time, not a car. Though the Citroen Ami has four wheels and a motor, a steering wheel, pedals and a couple of seats, it's actually classified as a quadricycle. Which basically is an urban mobility solution, small, light, low powered and characterised in the past by models like the Renault Twizy and the Reva G-Whizz.

The Ami is tiny, trendy and even available in 'Cargo' form as a tiny van. And because it was never originally intended to be sold here, is only being offered in left hand drive, though because it's so small, that hardly matters. Don't think of it as an alternative to a city car. Instead, it's a better seen as a nicer option than public transport. Or walking. And on the Continent, it can cost less to lease one than your monthly mobile phone contract. Interested yet?

Driving Experience

It's electric of course. There wouldn't be much point if it wasn't. But it's got a far smaller battery (5.5kWh) than you'll find in any EV. Still, because the electric motor it's mated to develops only 8bhp, hence the feeble 28mph top speed, you won't drain the cells very quickly and a (very achievable) range of 46 urban miles is possible.

As you'd expect from the diminutive size, the turning circle is outstanding - just 7.2m. UK models will come with a Type 2 EV charging adapter in addition to a 2-pin plug. UK models come with a rather natty built-in European two-pin plug which feeds awkwardly through a recess behind the passenger door. That plug comes with a Type 2 connector adaptor you can fit onto it for use with a garage wallbox or a public charging point. Expect charging to take around 3 hours.

Design and Build

Well it's small. Very small. Just 2.41m long and 1.39m wide in fact. And super-light too - just 425kg without batteries. The push-me-pull-you looks that see the front similar to the back are partly intentional. So, for instance, the doors are identical left and right - which means the driver's side one is rear-hinged, while the passenger side one isn't. To get in, you push a large outside button and notice as you pull the door back that half of its side window is hinged to flap upwards, a reference to the classic Citroen 2CV.

Inside, where you can only have the steering wheel on the left, it's light and airy thanks to a standard sunroof. And to the fact that the glass area occupies almost half of the interior surfacing, along with the way the windscreen is placed a way away from you. The steering wheel doesn't adjust and sprouting from it is a single column stalk that works the indicators and the single wiper that creaks across the plastic screen. Obviously, there are only two seats and, equally obviously given the exterior dimensions, there's no boot, so any luggage you want to carry must ride in the spacious passenger foot well, which will probably take something like an airline carry-on bag.

Market and Model

Pricing for this left hand drive-only quadricycle starts from £7,695 and it's available in four trim levels - 'Ami', 'Ami Pop', 'Ami Tonic' and 'Ami Vibe'.

Customers can enhance a standard-spec 'Ami' by adding one of three Colour Packs: Orange, Blue or Grey. These are priced at £400 and are specifically designed to be fitted at home. Adding a splash of colour to the Ami 100% electric's quirky styling, each pack comes with colour-coded wheel trims, colour-coded rear pillar decals, three colour-coded dashboard storage boxes, a colour-coded dashboard bag hook, exterior door capsules, two door storage nets with a colour-coded horizontal band and two black floor mats with colour-coded trim.

The two higher trim levels offer even greater levels of customisation: 'Ami Pop', 'Ami Tonic' and 'Ami Vibe'. 'Ami Pop' offers a cheerful visual identity, combining the Orange Colour Pack with black trim on the Ami's 'front face', lower front and rear bumpers, and around the rear lights. With a more assertive look, 'Ami Vibe' features a black finish to the top of the front bumper, front and rear bumper bases, and rear light surrounds, and adds two decorative black roof rails, black wheel arches and 'Contours' decals on the doors and front wings.

Cost of Ownership

UK models come with a rather natty built-in European two-pin plug which feeds awkwardly through a recess behind the passenger door. That plug comes with a Type 2 connector adaptor you can fit onto it for use with a garage wallbox or a public charging point. Most customers will at some point probably fit a three-pin adaptor to the plug so that they can charge off a domestic socket at home, though that's not an approved way of replenishing the Ami's battery as it falls outside of the regulatory framework for charging an EV of this type.

With this EV, there are no decisions to be made about fast or rapid chargers and different networks. Wherever you charge, expect battery replenishment from empty to full to take around 3 hours. We expect this vehicle to hold its value very well indeed, so if you're prepared to part with your Ami, you should find plenty people who want to take it on for not much less than you paid for it.

Summary

For decades now, we've been offered new Citroen models that claim to rekindle the brand's original pioneering spirit, but here at last is one that really does. Like an early 2CV, it's original, fun and, in its own way, really quite desirable. Drive one and people you pass will smile and wave - there's a feeling here of the motor car reinventing itself for a very different age. In a Citroen that really is a sign of the times.

FACTS AT A GLANCE

CAR: Citroen Ami

PRICES: £7,695 – on the road

CATEGORY: CITY CAR

INSURANCE GROUPS: TBC

CO2 EMISSIONS: 0g/km

PERFORMANCE: Max speed 28mph!

WLTP DRIVING RANGE: 43 miles

BOOT CAPACITY: [litres] minimal

WILL IT FIT IN YOUR GARAGE?: length/width/Height 2410/1390/1520 mm