French automaker Citroen has revealed the Ami – 100% electric car that costs just about $6000 (around ₹ 4.76 lakh). The Citroen Ami is a small city car and classifies as a “light quadricycle” which means it can be driven by 14-year-olds in France and 16-year-olds across the rest of Europe. The Ami looks cute, can seat two and is just about the right size for congested cities.
Speaking about the Ami, Vincent Cobee, Brand CEO, Citroen, said, “For 100 years, Citroen has always been innovative and creative in democratizing freedom of movement. This year, Citroen has come up with a new urban mobility solution accessible to everyone: compact, protective, 100% electric, without driving license, and affordable. Ami – 100% electric aims to be a real breakthrough in enabling urban mobility, a solution in sync with new modes of consumption. This great idea was a concept one year ago. We are proud that we have made it happen today.”
The interior is stripped down and you will have to connect your smartphone to a Bluetooth speaker to meet your acoustic needs. You also get an app to will tracks the charge status, range, and maintenance alerts. It will also tell you where the nearest charging station is located. Citroen says that the Ami offers the same body height and driving position as a full-size car that should make the driver more protected on public roads.
The power figures though aren’t overwhelming, to say the least. The quadricycle is powered by a 5.5 kWh battery pack and a 6 kW motor that allows for a range of 70 km and a top speed of 45 kmph. The battery pack is similar to an electric two-wheeler and Citroen says the electric car can be fully charged via a standard European 220-volt socket in three hours.
