“Unprecedented demand” has convinced Citroen to put the pint-sized AMI electric vehicle into production, with a £250 reservation enough for customers to put their name beside one.
Citroen dealers will have to find space in their already crammed showrooms for another new model after the company announced it will be bringing the two-seat AMI electric vehicle to Northern Ireland.
Originally, Citroen bosses said they had no intention to bring the car to the home market only for them to perform a U-turn after a staggering 12,000 customers confirmed that they would happily buy one.
Eurig Druve – the company’s UK Managing Director – pushed hard for their wish to be granted and said he was “absolutely delighted” that the first examples will arrive in the UK in the Spring of 2022.
“With cities and urban areas introducing strict limits for vehicles, and people demanding new mobility solutions, AMI shows how Citroën is adapting to meet the demands of the times,” he said. “AMI is a new all-electric mobility solution for the UK that is totally unique – fun, exciting and accessible to all.”
As with the original concept car, all AMI models will be left-hand-drive, although Citroen reckons this has its advantages, chiefly that it allows for a kerbside exit when the driver parks up along a city street.
Towns and cities will be the stomping ground of the AMI, which has a top speed of 28mph and a range of 46-miles on a single charge of its onboard 5.5kWh battery. With UK-bound examples having their charging port changed to a Type 2 fitting, a full charge is capable “in just three hours”, Citroen claims. A tiny dashboard screen behind the steering wheel shows speed, battery level, range, and drive mode.
Being an EV, the AMI produces no CO2 and is therefore exempt from the kind of congestion charges more and more cities are looking to introduce. For that reason alone, Citroen claims that it is “a future-proof solution to mobility concerns in many UK cities” where congestion remains a pertinent problem.
A square shape and tight turning circle should ensure the AMI is not only easy to thread through traffic but park as well given that it is only 2,410mm long. Despite its compact dimensions, there is space for two adults and one small item of luggage behind the seats. A panoramic glass sunroof and colour-led accessory packs should help ensure the AMI’s cabin feels spacious and airy rather than claustrophobic.
Citroen has yet to announce how much the AMI will set buyers back, or how many trim levels it will available in, but over in France a basic version costs €6,990 (£5,945) rising to €8,350 (£7,119).
