Tags: #electric-vehicles
Since its inception, the Citroën AMI has garnered a huge amount of press thanks in no small part to its funky design, zero emissions credentials, and the simple fact that it represents a brilliant way of getting around a town or city. Despite the fact that until now we didn’t know for sure whether the French carmaker was going to bring it to the UK, the AMI has won a brace of awards from the likes of GQ and Auto Express.
We liked it too back when we had a go in a pre-production, left-hand drive version, reckoning on it being part of the future of urban mobility and being somewhat of a latter day 2CV: Cheap, simple transport for the masses with almost everything you need to get around.
Now, the furore has come to a positive conclusion. As of spring 2022, you’ll be able to buy a Citroën AMI here in Blighty.
This is great news, and it has been driven in-part by demand which was ascertained through Citroën allowing would-be buyers to register their interest. More than 12,000 of them did, and now they will be the first to be given the chance to put down a £250 (refundable) reservation fee – enabling them to be among the first to get hold of the AMI when it arrives. As such, if you want to add your name to the list, you’ll have to wait in line!
UK-specific adaptations will be made, though we’re not quite sure what these will be. For example, the car will still be left-hand drive – not that you should worry as at just 1.39m wide and with fantastic all-round visibility, it shouldn’t make much difference in real-world conditions. Citroën points out that it’ll make kerbside parking even easier.
If you’re 16 and have heard how it’s possible to drive a Citroën AMI in France on a moped licence, there’s bad news. Over here, you’ll need a regular driving licence. We reckon the AMI will prove popular with younger buyers, though, thanks to its low cost and the huge range of personalisation options so owners can make their car unique to them.
As we’ve mentioned, though, the AMI won’t be a car for long road trips or flying the nest to university. It’s suited to small, urban roads, city and town driving, and not much else. The 5.5kWh battery gives it a range of up to 46 miles and it maxes out at 28mph, so it’s worth bearing in mind the AMI’s raison d’etre before getting caught up in its cuteness.
Eurig Druce, Managing Director of Citroën UK, said: “I am absolutely delighted to announce that Citroën AMI is launching in the UK. With cities and urban areas introducing stricter limits for vehicles, and people demanding new mobility solutions, AMI shows once again how Citroën is adapting to meet the demands of the times. Citroën AMI is a new all-electric mobility solution for the UK that’s totally unique – fun, exciting and accessible to all.
Update 24.05.22: Citroën has finally announced the UK prices for the AMI. In its most basic form, the AMI will cost £7695 on the road – and it really is basic, with Citroën highlighting the digital speedometer, LED lights and USB charging port as features. Step it up to the AMI Pop and you’ll pay £8495 and get some colour coded trim, rear spoiler and decals thrown in. Finally, the AMI Vibe costs £8895 and gets some even funkier styling with a grey colour pack and black trim details around the car’s exterior. Buyers on a budget can save themselves a few quid over the pre-configured cars by adding one of three colour packs – Orange, Blue or Grey – for £400 and fitting them at home.
Business owners looking to transport small things over short distances can pick up an AMI Cargo, which has a total of 400 litres of carrying capacity, for £7995 on the road.
Citroën has already taken over 2000 reservations via a £250 refundable deposit and we suspect they’ll get plenty more before a launch date is announced.
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