Citroen Ami priced from £7695 in UK
Citroën Ami: 28mph, 46-mile range
Tiny two-seat EV is destined for UK dealerships after 14,000 customers registered an interest
The ultra-compact Citroën Ami urban EV has been priced up in the UK from £7695 - making it one of the cheapest four-wheeled, road-going vehicles on sale.
That price buys the standard Ami – complete with a digital speedometer, LED lights at each end, a panoramic sunroof and a USB charging point – and makes it over £4000 cheaper than the UK's current cheapest new car, the Kia Picanto.
For an extra £400, buyers can add one of three colour packs – designed to be fitted at home – or can opt for the factory-fitted Pop and Vibe trim packs, which add £800 and £1200, respectively.
The single-seat Ami Cargo is inbound, too, priced from £7995 and offering a total load capacity of 400 litres.
Sales will be made completely online, and Citroën says it will shortly be contacting the 'over 2000' people who have reserved an Ami to finalise the process. For now, Citroën is still inviting interested customers to place a £250 refundable reservation fee, but has promised more information on a full market launch in the coming weeks.
Citroën earlier showed off personalisation options for the model, allowing customers to add decorative graphics and personalised images to make their car unique. Six Citroën-made graphics will be available in the UK, including Jungle, Tutti Frutti, British Globetrotter, Camo, Tribe and Trendy.
Customers based in France are able to create bespoke designs, such as go-faster flames or images of pets, from their own photos and have the graphics delivered to their home.
The decision marks a significant U-turn for Citroën, as the Ami was never intended for sale in Britain. But following the reception from eager buyers and having been championed by the firm’s managing director, Eurig Druce, it was given the go-ahead.
“The response to the Ami has been overwhelming, and the momentum has just built up to a point that we can’t say no,” said Druce. “It’s not just a vehicle with a following, either; the Ami embodies one view we have of future transport, around affordability and usability. Selling it here gets those values across in a way that no marketing campaign ever could.”
The Ami is offered only in left-hand drive, but at 1390mm in width, and with strong all-round visibility due to its 2410mm length, in practice this means the driver sits only around 300mm adrift of a typical car driver. Other modifications required for sale in the UK are limited to changing the charging plug for a Type 2 fitting, plus headlight adjustments and calibration to miles per hour.
It is notable not only for its quirky design and tiny footprint, but also its restricted performance, aimed only at city and short-haul use. The Ami is limited to a top speed of 28mph and has a range of just 46 miles. Drivers must have a full licence in the UK, although some European countries allow 14-year-olds at the wheel.
“The philosophy of the Ami is that it should be as affordable as a mobile phone,” Citroën CEO Vincent Cobée told Autocar last year. He revealed that 80% of its 9000 customers to date have been new to Citroën, and that 50% had bought the car without ever visiting a dealership. “For us, it is both one expression of what Citroën today is about and it opens up a way into a new e-commerce economy. It is a vehicle we can learn from.
“Today, Citroën is about delivering personal mobility in an engaging, affordable way. If we all want 500km of range, all-round performance and full autonomy then we must all be ready to pay £100,000 for a family car. At Citroën we don’t believe that is the right way, and we will be militant in our efforts to provide alternatives.”