Citroen says Ami EV will offer affordable urban mobility

PARIS -- Citroen's new Ami full-electric quadricycle, aimed at urban and suburban users, will sell for as low as 6,000 euros ($6,600), depending on emissions incentives, and can be leased for 19.99 euros a month.

The two-seat Ami can be driven by people as young as 14 years, without an driver's license, depending on local regulations.

Production has started at PSA Group's factory in Kenitra, Morocco, and deliveries will begin in France in June.

Citroen says the Ami is part of a "digital ecosystem" that enables affordable and accessible urban mobility.

It will be available for short-term rentals, which Citroen describes as a sharing program, for 26 cents a minute, with a monthly subscription of 9.90 euros.

It is classified as an electric quadricycle under EU regulations, similar to the Renault Twizy. Vehicles in the category are limited to a top speed of 45 kph (32 mph) and a weight of 425 kg (936 pounds) without batteries.

Citroen says the Ami will have a range of 70 km (44 miles), and its 5.5-kilowatt-hour battery can be fully charged using an ordinary outlet in three hours.

It is 2410 mm long, 1390 mm wide and 1530 mm high, and has a turning radius of 7.2 meters. Citroen says two Amis can fit in a standard parking space.

The Ami is based on the Ami One concept that was shown to the public at the 2019 Geneva auto show.

The Ami's name recalls a 1960s and '70s variant of the Citroen 2CV, probably the French brand's best-known model.

Citroen says the Ami is designed to be easy to produce, with symmetrical doors, bumpers and other interchangeable components. The driver's door is hinged at the rear, the passenger's at the front.

Buyers can personalize the interior and exterior with accessory packages that they can install themselves.

The Ami is one of six electrified models that Citroen will have in its lineup by the end of the year, but as a quadricycle it does not count toward the automaker's fleet carbon dioxide emissions.

In addition to the Ami, other low-emissions vehicles include the C5 Aircross plug-in hybrid compact SUV, launching this quarter; electric versions of the SpaceTourer passenger van and Jumper and Jumpy commercial vans; and a replacement for the C4 Cactus that will be available with a full-electric drivetrain.

Citroen did not release sales targets, but brand CEO Vincent Cobee said it was aimed at urban markets primarily in France, Italy and Spain. There are no plans at the moment to produce a right-hand-drive version for the UK market.

Citroen will partner with the French electronics and media retailing giant Darty/FNAC, which will have the Ami on display in many of its stores.

The Renault Twizy was launched in 2012, and was the best-selling full-electric vehicle in Europe that year, with sales of more than 9,000. But since then, the novelty has worn off, and Twizy sales have fallen to around 2,000 per year, well below forecasts, and production has been moved to South Korea from Spain.

Unlike the Twizy, the Ami has a closed cockpit, side-by-side seating and a heater. It is also less expensive; the Twizy starts at 7540 euros in France.

Citroen says it is keeping the Ami's costs down by producing it in Morocco and by sharing parts, including the rear suspension and windshield, with existing PSA models.