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Citroën has confirmed it will produce 1,000 electric Ami buggies to go on sale next year – and some may go to the UK.
The Ami electric four-wheeler has proven to be a hit for the French brand since its unveiling in 2020.
It also led to the production of 50 limited edition Ami Buggy models that were only sold in France earlier this year – all of which were snapped up within 18 minutes of being announced.
However, Citroën says it will make a further 1,000 units to sell to European customers, with prices expected to exceed £8,700.
While a doorless electric vehicle with a range of 74 kilometers might be a good option for the summer in the South of France, the exposed microcar could become the worst possible vehicle on sale for UK winters, especially with another explosion of arctic weather predicted after Christmas.
The worst winter vehicle in Britain? Citroën confirms it will produce a limited edition of 1,000 doorless electric Ami buggies, some of which may be available to UK customers. With an Arctic gale on the way, this may be the most unsuitable model for our roads at this time of year
Citroën announced on Thursday that only 1,000 limited-edition My Ami Buggy models will be available for sale next year.
This is Money contacted the manufacturer’s UK division and was told by a spokesman that there is no confirmation yet on whether anything will be sold in Britain, with details of availability in Spring 2023.
The commitment to make more examples of the doorless Ami follows the huge success of the conventional electric passenger model which has been on sale in the UK since this year.
The EV – which technically qualifies as a ‘light four-wheeler’ and not a car, and can therefore be driven by motorists aged 16 and over with an AM moped license – costs from £7,695 in the UK and is also available as a single-seat utility vehicle designed for last-mile deliveries in cities.
The small engine is only 2.4 meters long, 1.4 meters wide and 1.5 meters high, making it the smallest ‘car’ currently on the road.
Performance is equally modest, with power provided by a 5.5 kW battery and an 8 hp electric motor driving the front wheels, resulting in a limited top speed of just 45 km/h.
The range on a full charge is only 74 kilometers, although charging the compact battery pack takes only three hours with a conventional three-prong plug and socket.
A production run of 1,000 units has been confirmed after the original output of 50 special edition My Ami Buggy models sold out in France within 18 minutes of availability
Citroen UK says it cannot yet confirm whether any of the 1,000 My Ami Buggies will be sold to UK customers. Here’s how it compares to the conventional Ami EV that recently went on sale in the UK
The My Ami Buggy is based on this concept vehicle under the same name first unveiled by Citroën in December 2021
As if this didn’t sound extreme enough, the My Ami Buggy takes things to a whole new level.
It’s a stripped-down version of a wacky concept Ami unveiled last December and says it’s been “extremely well received” by potential customers.
Although the concept had no doors at all, the 1,000-produced My Ami Buggy from Citroën is fitted with hinged metal tubes instead of full panels.
It also has a removable folding roof, inspired by that of the iconic 2CV. The sunroof-sized fabric cover can be rolled up and stored in a compartment behind the two seats.
Dinky and doorless: The My Ami Buggy will have these hinged metal tube ‘doors’ instead of traditional panels
My Ami Buggy also has a removable folding roof, similar to the iconic 2CV. With Britain’s temperatures predicted to drop dramatically after Christmas, the exposed electric vehicle may not be the best choice for UK drivers
The limited edition vehicles will go on sale in spring 2023. The first deliveries are expected in the summer, Citroën says
While these features sound idyllic for a short summer drive to a beach on the Mediterranean coast, it could be the least suitable vehicle for Britain’s sub-zero winters.
Citroen says the Ami is already being used on the island of Halki off the coast of Greece, where police and coastguards drive them. Seven Amis have also been added to the police fleet of the Italian island of Maddalena.
But the climates in these picturesque seaside towns will be a far cry from the freezing cold seen in Britain, especially in winter – this season in particular.
Forecasters this week have warned that another Arctic blast of cold weather could be coming to the UK after Christmas as freezing temperatures are forecast across the country until mid-January.
Experts say temperatures could drop to -11C.
Not what you would call the ideal climate for a car without doors.
The impact of colder temperatures also hampers the battery efficiency of electric cars, with sub-zero conditions dramatically reducing range. In a vehicle that can go up to 74 miles, this is another reason why many will consider the My Ami Buggy a terrible choice for Brits.
The limited edition doorless models also get a rear roof spoiler – although we doubt it will generate much downforce at top speeds of 45mph – and tough plastic panel guards around the headlight cluster and wheel arches.
Citroën says it will be ‘very similar to the first edition, but with a few surprising features compared to the current My Ami Buggy’.
There is no confirmation yet regarding the color options as the first 50 cars sold in 2022 will only be available in military grade khaki green with yellow accents.
The French maker pointed out that it will be sold on a “first come, first served” basis, telling customers interested in a My Ami Buggy to “be ready to take the chance on the very first day it goes on sale at the end’. of the first quarter of 2023′.
To do this, they must register an expression of interest through Citroen website.
There’s no confirmation as to price, although it will almost certainly be more expensive than the most expensive conventional Ami – the Tonic – which costs £8,695.
The first deliveries to European customers are expected by the end of the summer.
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