Citroen AMI - peculiar, but cheerful

It is the cheapest car in Ukraine and, at the same time, the cheapest electric car. It has a plastic body attached to a metal frame. Small and not very fast. One of the funniest cars you have seen. All this is about the novelty from Citroen - AMI.

Interesting facts

• First of all, it is an electric car with all the mandatory elements: electric motor, battery, and regenerative braking. Although its battery is only 5.5 kW. The similarly sized Smart Fortwo ED has a 17.6 kW battery.
• It's small - 1.4 meters wide, 2.4 meters long, and weighs 487 kg.
• Its top speed is 45km/h. And if 40 km you will gain relatively easily, then on the interval from 40 to 45 you will physically feel how the machine is trying. After all, the engine power is only 6kW, or 8.16 horsepower. In another case, we would round up to 8 hp, but here every little thing counts.
• Acceleration to top speed takes about 10 seconds. І this time directly depends on how much you weigh. By the way, the maximum load is 170 kg (together with the weight of the driver).
• There are only 2 seats in it. But the passenger one can be converted into a cargo one.

• The maximum mileage on a single charge is 75 km, and practice shows that the discrepancies with this figure are small.

Even more interesting facts

Frame

The basis of the AMI is a square-section space frame. It's like this!

One look at it will make you think about safety because there are no airbags in the car, only belts.

Materials of construction

The exterior elements are made of painted plastic. Because of this, the car looks toy-like. On the other hand, this makes it possible to reduce the weight and overall cost.

Symmetrical parts

The front and rear plastic parts of the car, side windows are the same. Which also cheapens the auto and makes it easier to find spare parts. The doors on both sides are also identical. It is realized simply - the driver's door opens as in Rolls Royce, towards the movement. And the passenger's door opens traditionally (as in Bentley).

Lights

It doesn't have a high beam. Only dipped beam. The manufacturer does not assume that you will want to drive outside a populated area (and this is the right decision). The light is not adjustable at all. It turns on by itself when starting the car. And it turns off by itself.

Advantages

It's small: And you'll have an easier time finding a parking space.

Wheels. It has 155/65 R14 size tires in the base, quite common and inexpensive.

It is cheap to operate. For 100 km of travel you will have to pay only 29 (!) hryvnia - this is based on 6.7 kW of electricity to fully charge the battery for 4.32 UAH per 1 kW (price for September 2024).

Simply charged. There is a wire sticking out of the car, like a vacuum cleaner, with a regular euro plug to charge from a 220V outlet.

Utilitarianism. The passenger seat converts into a luggage compartment. And that's what the cars come to our market for.

Relatively inexpensive. As for an electric car. About 8,000 euros (here and in Europe).

It's fun. The design is very unusual. And for additional uniqueness, everyone is already producing body stickers. What is worth, for example, is this one, which comes in the base from the manufacturer and emulates the USB Type-C connector!

By the way, the car is sold even on Rozetka.

But at the moment of publication, the car was already unavailable. Probably, they are quickly sold out

Disadvantages

If you consider the AMI as a complete automobile, there is not much fun to be had

It is stiff. You will feel every bump on the road. After all, we do not have many good roads.

It is noisy. After all, there is no noise insulation.

It's slow. With an average speed of 40 km/h you will annoy many people in the traffic flow. And in general, you will get to point B slower. After all, you will not have the maneuverability of a moped that travels at the same speed.

Expensive. For this amount you can buy a good used gasoline car, which will be faster, and safer and ... the list goes on for a long time.

Slow to charge. It takes about 3 hours to fully charge a car. If the car works on delivery, 75 kilometers of mileage may not be enough for the whole day. And fast charging is not provided.

Winter driving. Doubtful. According to eyewitnesses' stories, it is very cold in the car in winter, although there is a heated fan. And mileage and power in the cold are significantly reduced.

It is unsafe to drive out of the city. Because of the lights and low safety

But, if you consider it as, say, an ATV with a roof, then the complaints will be much less.

NB: By the way, it is in the class of quad bikes this vehicle falls in Europe. And there it is not necessary to have a category for driving it, as for a REAL car.

Who is suitable for

There are not many young people who have extra money in Ukraine now. Therefore, it seems that Citroen brings this car to our market, betting on business, which needs delivery. Such companies are now actively buying electric cars with mileage from different parts of the world, in particular from China. And Citroen will try to enter the competition.

Wish them luck. And to us - to live to see the time when we will be able to buy such cars for joy and pleasure.