@agingwheels Hint: The car is also sold under the brand Opel as Rocks-e and under the brand FIAT as Topolino because these brands are part of the parent company Stellantis. Price in € starts at 7390 that converts to USD 8.084.
It's like if a bike helmet was the whole mode of transportation. It's like an engineer started with "I'm going to start cycling to work." and then, through rain and needing to carry a passenger and wanting to carry cargo and not liking exercise, gradually scope-creeped to this.
I was thinking more it started with a round of golf. It's even got that suspicious hatchback-but-not-hatchback panel that looks like it would open up just enough space for two golf bags if removed.
Slight correction on the pricing. The UK pricing I straight converted over to USD was the price including VAT and other fees. So it is actually less than $10k!
Yeah you guys over there are used to seeing prices everywhere without taxes, aren't ya? (Speaking of which, I understand why it is being done this way in the US but it sounds incredibly annoying to me because I suck at math)
@@SilentdragonDe Sales tax is 5.3% on most purchases in my part of VA and vehicle Sales and Use Tax (SUT) is 4.15%. A rough estimate is price/20 and /25, which most people should be able to do in their head.
Yeah, I don't get the "oh 10k is expensive" when that's barely more than a good battery electric transport bycicle and the next cheapest battery electric car is what? a dacia spring for 22k EUR or chevy bolt for like 25-30k US$?
@@IzzyIkigaiit would still be competing against a used Leaf, which is usually cheaper (around $7K), and has greater range, passenger and cargo capacity, as well as proper heating and air conditioning.
Rallying with this thing is about as safe as putting a hamster in a tin can and throwing down Niagara falls. This actually happened and the hamster survived but thats not the point, crashes in this thing at any thing over 20mph would be near deadly. Maybe a roll cage and some sort of padding inside because of the lack of any door cards. Although then you would need bigger motors because of the weight increase.
@@Infernos94 With a bucket seat, chassis bracing, battery upgrades, a esc tune, and maybe a 2 stage transmission it should be fast enough and strong enough to be fun and safe
@@crazycat7760honestly it's a 15hp motor, all you can do is remove the lowered rpm limiter, you'd be better off swapping all the glass for some kind of polymer if you want performance
as mentioned the car being available to drive without license, it makes it VERY popular with high schoolers in France whom would only be allowed to drive at 18y otherwise. So on my way to the grocery store, i can spot between 6 and 10 AMIs on the 30 places public high school's parking lot. This is a little bit funny. Also your french is perfect mon ami ! -- quick follow up (dec 12), i noticed an ad for the ami at the mall, they totally advertise it as a "16yo car". Then for the pricing discussion, "who can put 10ke in a high schooler vehicle", citroen offers a leasing deal at 30e/month, probably with a starting amount but still quite affordable for most upper middle class households. I'm not sure but i believe it includes insurance, which is mandatory for all road vehicles and can get quite expensive, and a 3 years "AMICARE" free maintenance service. Also i haven't checked but i heard they sold 25k AMIs in France. Finally Citroen just announced a new 2024 300miles EV (real car) at 23ke which kind of looks like the OLI prototype car. Cheers
The Ami is as quirky and amusing as only Citroen could pull off. Here in Portugal its class of city quads is called "pension-eaters" because of their strong elderly userbase, and it can actually be test-driven and purchased at Fnac retail stores!
Was looking for a comment like this! :) As a car guy i think it's truly perfect for the city and in a place like Portugal, which seldom invests in modern or efficient forms of transport, it readily fulfils the roles of everything from students having to do long distances to get to school, to delivering mail throughout cities, all without wearing out the roads we all pay for or creating more traffic, unlike most EV's out there.
@@freggs4906 It fits well in urban areas. In rural areas its even more perfect, charging at home. But if you do national roads regularly (70 kmh limit), you need to deal with other vehicles running above speed limit, trucks included. Being bullied is no good. And here in Portugal you have a major (economical) problem. Not everybody has 8k euros easily to spend in a main car, even less a second vehicle like AMI. The minimum month salary here is 760 euros without taxes. I like the AMI, but is suitable for some cases.
@@freggs4906 I'd love to see more tiny vehicles permitted on the roads, even if restricted to electric only. If I can ride a goofy OCC chopper motorcycle with completely ass backward geometry, or a 49cc scooter, why can't I ride a quad or a golf cart at least on surface streets? Small engine emissions argument goes in the trash if it's BEV, and this is the sort of use case the current state of BEV makes the most sense for, trips inside the city and the immediate outskirts.
Yes, it's a great solution for elderly people, or handicapped people, or even people who don't want or need a car but need a little extra room for groceries than they can fit in their bike. Although, I'm not sure the Ami is the best value for its money, even at its lower price here around 8,890 EUR. Not so long as it doesn't offer at least a little bit more comfort and room for its drivers. Regardless I've always thought these cars were cute as a button.
I love the Ami! And also: if we wanna talk sustainability, which we are talking about when we talk about electric vehicles, this car includes many good ideas and is thus much more thought-through than some other billionaire 6,000 pound heavy vanity projects ...
French person here! We're starting to see those everywhere in France, especially as company cars. Always fun to see American youtubers taking a look at cars only seen in Europe 🔥
En temps que québecois citroen ne vend pas au canada alors je n'ai pas vue une seul citroen de ma vie je n'ai mème pas entendue parler d'une citroen importer elle sont très rare au canada.
That's part of the reason it's called a quadricycle: it doesn't have to meet car safety standards. The other big reason, as explained in the video, is that you can drive it (in France) without a driving licence, either because you lost it, don't have one, or are too young. You can start driving those as early as 14yo, compared to minimum 18yo to get a driving licence (soon to be 17yo).
Here in Norway, at least for 16 to 17 year olds, quadricycles, known as Moped/Microcars for us, are quite popular. The electric type of Microcars aren't popular, but the diesel Microcars are. Especially the Aixam brand, which I also believe is French or Italian. Edit: Over here, The Ami is sold for the equivalent 13340 US Dollars or about 140000 NOK.
UK person here - these are pretty rare over here, but I do see one of them scooting around my (medium sized regional) city on a regular basis. They are a bit more popular in London where I guess they make sense for short commutes. One of the selling points over here is that you can drive them on a moped licence (category AM, 50cc) rather than a regular car licence - this means you can drive it at 16, rather than 17 for a car. The downside is that you would still need to pass your moped test before you could do that, and you'd probably be nearly 17 by the time you did all that!
I was about to say: a 28mph [45km/h] top speed, and they looked really light, they seemed awfully close to the AM quad category. Even with that, at least personally, maybe other than say delivery (with their cargo option) I struggle to see the upsides of this over either a two-wheeled moped or motorcycle, or a "proper" car...
@@pootispiker2866Well the idea is that most people just use their phone anyway so just cut out the middleman and have a phone spot and Bluetooth speaker holder, saving the cost of a radio and speakers
@@pootispiker2866 For this vehicle's intended use case, you aren't driving for long enough to need a radio. And if you do, they left you a spot to put in your own speaker.
@@pootispiker2866 Lmao the radio is literally for boomers. Everyone else just needs just a Bluetooth speaker.. which is basically just amped speaker and nothing else.
I prefer the original Ami. Having the headlights on permanently is probably also a cost-cutting measure; they won't have to adjust the car for sales in Denmark and other countries where you always have to have your headlights on.
Not only Denmark but all EU countries require DRL (daytime running light) after a certain production year in the past to be street legal. The cost efficiency is just to not differ between DRL and low beam. And as the car is limited to 45 km/h high beam is not mandatory. And btw, I prefer the original Ami too! Original Ami converted to electric... 😜
I think it's also required to have your lights always on in France, since my old 90s Peugeot has specific daytime running lights which I don't think any other nation's cars had.
@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge A few models had designated DRL but most the standard low beam was used as DRL. And there were after market products for people who wanted to reduce the power consumption. From standard 55 watts low beam bulbs to 35 watts DRL...
@@rome0610 Ah, didn't know that. Think the German government will have to make that clearer, because I haven't heard anything about that. Not that it affects me, because I already do DRL
DLR's are ass when they dont light up the rear lights and idiots drive with the during the night with their ass dark. i much prefer the old way of having lights on 24/7
This and the Citroën Oli both feel like so incredibly happy cars. They feel like something that's fun to drive and like they have a personality. So cool to see this one on the channel!
And also incredibly expensive cars. The price is way to high for what you get in return. A full plastic interior. No radio, no airbags, no normal seats but cheap plastic ones with a foam cushion on them, no trunk/boot, no rear bench or rear seats, etc.
@@knijnwell, it's the same as complaining that the original 500 was bad because it was basic, it isn't designed to be a car, it's designed to be a moped replacement with a roof
I’ve been following a few TH-camrs who have these and it seems the quality on these dropped dramatically after the first release (one guy had panels that were stretching and beginning to break) another had electrical issues. It’s covered by one TH-camr I believe called Me and Mon Ami
IIRC, the Ami started back in the day at 6000 Euros, but prices have gone up a lot. The lease is the most attractive thing about it at only 30 Euros per month. That's cheaper than a bus pass.
why not get a cheap twingo or lupo, or hell even a smart fortwo? You can usually find one of those for less than 800eur and some even have a/c, sometimes even functional.
Our family had the original back in the 70s and it was a hateful thing. Mainly because of the vinyl seats with a hatched pattern. As a kid going to school in shorts all I can remember is the same pattern being heat-embossed into the back of my legs on sunny days. As for the new one, it's so cute. Nice work Citroen. Although that sunroof suggests they haven't learned much about how hot a car can get.
As someone who owns an Ami: yes, it gets so hot in summer and the best thing we can do is flap the doors like wings to try to get the most fresh air in as possible
I saw this on Citroen’s website a couple months ago and had a good chuckle about it. And I figured if you could get one in the US Aging wheels would indeed be all about it. Didn’t actually think Id see this happen.
I saw the Opel version of this car (the "Rocks-e") in Amsterdam back in May, and had to take a picture because of how much I loved it. It's such a perfect human-sized vehicle for cities.
This is an amazing proposal for the city. Citroën made it great again. Unfortunately it's a bit too expensive. Not that many people can reach the 8000€ it costs here in Portugal. One thing that's used a lot here is for the postal company to sent their postman to deliver all around, with the cargo version. Citroen👏
@agingwheels the phone holder is meant to have a clippy bit that wedges onto the protruding plastic and then grips your phone from the sides. Seemed to be missing on your unit. I really love the concept of the Ami but I apparently have long legs and short arms so couldn't find a seating position where I could reach the wheel and get my legs under it. I ended up buying a Leaf but lusting after an Ami
I'm a big fan of the Lane Motor Museum. They were nice to let me take a close look at one of their cars in the vault to compare against my own that I imported. Really cool place to check out if you are in the area.
I always love an honest American review on European functional design. The Ami shown in this video, was probably the most exotic thing on 4 wheels in all of the North-Americas.
A couple of youtubers (Me and Mon Ami) bought one of these two years ago and centred their channel around it. Their ~100 videos on it are an excellent demonstration of life with it (in the south of France). Highly recommended.
@@captricharddee3634 And? Is someone forcing you to buy one of these? Why are you so grumpy? Is it because you would like to live in the south of France?
@@banaana1234 Who wouldn't. Too bad about all the French and French people, but hey, you can't have everything, and I am prepared to speak as much French as is necessary to get my hands on some freshly made cassoulet.
@@captricharddee3634 And that's exactly why it's sold in markets like France, and not in other places where people wouldn't have a use for it. Supply and demand, isn't it beautiful?
The small door net is for the optional side impact protection. In France this is obviously a baguette - hence the size of the next pocket Sacrebleu! - net door cargo holder 😍😍😎😎
I only knew this thing as an "Opel Rocks-e". It can be driven with a scooter driving licence at the age of 15/16 here in Germany. I would loved to have one of those when I was that age for "traveling" between the villages where busses only drive like every few hours and basically never after dawn especially on weekends...
Robert if you like the AMI, Fiat has a rebadging called the Topolino, which is slightly less cost-cutty, notably featuring an actual front and back, a nicer green color, and a luggage rack for a trunk in the back (the pictures show a suitcase in it, but I don't know if that's standard). The "Topolino Dolcevita" is their variant of the buggy and looks stellar: it has a tan convertible fabric (ish) roof you roll back and rope barrier doors.
@@bearwynn yes it's the same as the AMI, because they're classified as light quadricycles rather than cars they can be driven without a license (so you can still drive them if you've lost your license) and starting at 14 years old. They are essentially 4-wheeled vespas.
@@knijn like the Topolino, the Rocks-e is a rebadging of the Ami, it's the same vehicle: Citroen, Fiat, and Opel are all part of the Stellantis group, and all three vehicles are built in the stellantis factory of Kenitra, Morocoo. Unlike the Topolino however the Rocks-E is nothing more than a rebadging, the only distinction is that it launched and is available in Germany, a country where Citroen has essentially no presence. Its purpose is to be distributable through Opel dealerships.
Slight correction: in addition to France and the UK, this vehicle is also sold in Germany (rebranded as the Opel Rocks) and in Italy (rebranded as the Fiat Topolino)
I was in Paris 2 weeks ago and saw a few ones. I took a picture of one because I was so curious. So cool that you made an overview video so close to my trip.
My mom watched this vid alongside me (we like watching them together) and she thinks it's adorable. I spotted and bought a Matchbox version of it as an additional present for her this Christmas xD
I've changed my mind it's not an electric golf cart it is an electrified version of The Little tikes coupe now I definitely need one!!!!! I would so paint it exactly like the Little tikes coupe!!!
Love the Lane Motor Museum! I thought of you when I visited it for the first time last month! Hoped you were a regular there. What, $12 to get in, $10 for the vault tour? An absolute bargain. I think Kevin was our guide that day and he really knew his stuff. I'm a Sprite guy, and would love to get closer looks at their examples but took loads of pictures for my MG car club friends of the MG Ts the owner and his father owned, a few Sprites they have hidden away, and the Berkeley a young friend is infatuated with. An amazing museum anyone visiting Nashville should make the trek a few miles from downtown to go see.
thats so cheap for a good packed museum I would want to leave a tip on top of that. I've been to so many museums that cost more to get in and have less to see but have nicer... carpet? Better marble on the building? Frank Gehry design?
@@GermanSausagesAreTheWurst yes, LANE. Jeff Lane is the founder. He's still involved daily. It's an amazing museum. Bargain. If you visit Nashville, take a few hours break from football or Broadway bar crawling, or music stuff and visit this place every time you're in town.
I think you can get a street legal plate for it in some states. UTVs can be made street legal by adding a windsheild,rear view mirror and side mirrors, so as long as this has a seat belt it should already have all the things.
South Carolina has plates for "low speed vehicles" like DOT approved street golf carts which thing does the exact same speed as but for 1/2 the price as a higher end Tomberlin cart
I Iowa it is left up to the towns to decide. In my town i could get a $10 license plate like i would with a golf cart or utv and put insurance on it and drive it in town, just not on hyws. Would need a slow moving sign and a flag.
@@lancelarson6710I mean, it does 45kmh (~30mph if I'm not mistaken) at most, you definitely wouldn't want to go on a highway, I'd even hazard to say you might be better off taking a dirt road over the highway
My father just got one recently. Great for crowded cities and cheap to own. Also very practical. There is more room inside than the outside would suggest. The price is much less than 10k$. At launch it was 6k€, which now raised to about 7.5k€, mainly due to inflation. But the real advantage is that you can pay about half the price at purchase and then just 20€ a month, which is very convenient for most people.
Yes this thing is adorable. I've actually looked into getting one, supposedly in mainland europe it starts at 6k € (which is what you suggested/expected). Unfortunately, it being limited to 45 kph makes it like driving a roadblock. I know it's cause of the small vehicle classification which for reasons I'll never understand is still at this speed, while normal inner-city traffic (or anything in a village like area) is 50 kph. So you go 45, while everyone around you wants to go 50 (legally) or 55-60 (actually). Wonderful. So for the price, and what you get, I don't think it's for me after all. Note that it supposedly loads to full on a normal EU outlet (220V) in ~3 hours, which is slightly better, but not by that much either in practice.
In the netherlands the law is that if a vehicle can reach 50 kph it may enter a 80 kph road and when it can go 60 kph it may enter the highway. So with regulations, it is not yet possible to let any other vehicle go faster than 45 if you don't want it on any faster roads than the city. Another reasons is, that if it can go faster than 45 it needs safety equipment as a crash structure, airbags and lane assist etc. That would make it too expensive for such a simple car.
Reason for the 45 kph limit is a complety senseless EU compromise on the top speed of mopeds. A 60 kph limit like in East Germany would make much more sense.
@@martingazi6762 Sorry but that is HORRIBLE "advice" and that has nothing to do with the warranty. The vehicle is no longer street legal, as you're invalidating the parameters which were used to get that rating. That means your insurance is null and void. Run into the side of a bentley or something? good luck with paying that out of pocked, but hey your car went slightly faster! Let alone if you cause any bodily harm to anyone, where it can quickly hit millions if they receive serious injury. I'm pretty sure this is true for most of the EU.
@@TheCreatyou're absolutely right. The entire design of this vehicule is based on thoses regulations to allow teenagers and licenless people to drive it, removing the speed limit is illegal and horrible advice.
I love how this makes my rebadged Daewoo seem like an SUV. It's too bad our city planning in the US isn't really conducive to this kind of car because having this lil guy to run around in would be perfect for how little i actually use my personal vehicle.
There are a bunch of suburban-enclaves in the US that ban cars. People then get around in NEVs--Neighborhood Electric Vehicles commonly known as fancy golf carts, limited to a certain speed. Most notoriously "The Villages" in Florida
@stephen1r2 There are dedicated golf cart lanes everywhere. However, there is still road infrastructure that supports full-size vehicles all throughout the entire expanse of the villages. Most people still have garages and many own cars to travel within or outside of the development.
Main drawback I see for this in a city is just it's still only gonna fit one per standard parking space, whereas a scooter/motorcycle/ebike can easily fit 2 or more, or even park on the sidewalk without interfering with anything. I commuted in San Fran on a 650cc bike for 3 years and it was really the perfect vehicle for that place; plenty of power for when I did want to go on the highway (and lots of nice places to ride on the ocean side of the peninsula) but compact and easily handled enough that I could easily park it pretty much anywhere I went.
I remember that one video of the Citroen Ami rolling on its side going round the Grand Hotel Hairpin at Monaco; such a small car with a low centre of gravity from the batteries at the floor and it still managed to tip over!
That tight turn is famous for giving even pro drivers issues at high speed, the teenager driving it was essentially trying to tip it over and only did it on the 3rd try lol
Someone in my village has the Opel version of this. You're definitely are in the center auf attention with this car. I personally like my eScooter for a fifth of the cost better, even if I get wet in the rain with it.
I have never understood why they limit those "tiny cars" (that you can drive with basically a moped license) to 45 km/h, instead of 50 km/h (which is the standard in-city speed limit here in Germany and many other european countries). If they were allowed to drive 50, they could just flow with the normal city traffic and nobody would object. But since they are limited to just slightly slower, they often start to hold up traffic.
In the netherlands the law is that if a vehicle can reach 50 kph it may enter a 80 kph road and when it can go 60 kph it may enter the highway. So with regulations, it is not yet possible to let any other vehicle go faster than 45 if you don't want it on any faster roads than the city. Another reasons is, that if it can go faster than 45 it needs safety equipment as a crash structure, airbags and lane assist etc. That would make it too expensive for such a simple car.
The law setting up the speed limit is from the 1950's when street speed limit was 60 and not 50. Same absurd logic than young drivers in France being limited to 80 kph instead of 90 and 110 instead of 130 on freeways (but not limited on roads limited to 110 or in cities). I do agree it's an absurd limitation and people here have found out the AMI is perfectly capable of driving up to 60 or even 70kph.
As others have said, the speed limit is meant to keep these cars inside the city.I don't think being rear-ended by a truck going 80 km/h is a lot of fun when your sitting in an Ami.
So one of these driving around last week and meant to Google what it was so thank you for saving me the trouble. Very cute, and the same colour as those three wheeled British mobility vehicles from the 1960s..
I absolutely love quirky French cars. I lived there in the nineties and borrowed a friend’s original Clio Williams and would just drive out into the countryside to go car spotting. One of the highlights of my life!
This car is just literally perfect. It's exactly what it needs to be, which is not a luxury commuter vehicle but a small car meant for only city traffic. It's an exercise in cost-cutting and proof that affordable EVs can become a thing. Now we just need other manufacturers to do the same, and eventually we'll get actual real electric cars that don't cost a fortune too!
That sweet spot of cutting everything possible while still being well built is a small market. I want a car like this, cheap, does the bare minimum for comfort, but is reliable.
@@Arzon527Well the problem is that they're not reliable. Somehow. And the build quality is horrible, it leaks like a sieve and most of the panels don't line up.
You can register it as an LSV. It's the same registration they use on the KEI trucks imported from Japan. Here in Pennsyltaxya I see a few of the Japanese mini trucks with legal registration on them and when I asked the owners they said that's how they did it.
@@Xatzimi the Mini trucks yes. But in PA you you can register any manufactured vehicle with a manufacturer certificate proper vin number and a few other things. It differs from state to state but most have LSV laws to allow legal registration.
I've seen an Ami around Edinburgh a couple of times and it's a very weird but cute sight to behold. It makes sense in the city, but the potholes scare me in relation to it.
The lane motor museum was my favorite thing about visiting Tennessee. Went when I was a teenager. Great place, was surprised when I learned the guy walking around chatting to us about the cars was the owner. Hilarious to see he still has that giant military thing parked out back.
I got to test drive the Ami when it first came out and the only thing I actually hated on it was the speed limiter. It's set at 45 km/h because that's the legal max speed for a moped/quadricycle in most countries, but it also limits you when going downhill, which is really annoying at times. Not to mention that a large portion of the streets in my city have a 50 km/h speed limit (everyone does 55 anyways) and the Ami is just wide enough that passing it on a tight city street is almost impossible. Get rid of the speed limiter and it's perfect. Probably the best modern Citroën model.
10:30 behind there on the right hand side the mustard color Skoda looks just like the one we had as a kid in the late 80s to drive around in the field. Even the color is the same. Of course that one is 'a bit' better condition than ours was.
Hi from France :) I had the chance to visit the Lane Motor Museum a few months ago, this museum is awesome, tons of cars from home that I would never have expected to see in the US! I have seen the AMI there, this is a BEST Seller in France you can see them everywhere, starting price is around €7000. They also have in their collection another Small electric Citroën that I also own : The Citroën Saxo Electrique :) I hope that some day you will be able to do a review of that car, because it was really innovative for 1997, and it has a lot of funny quirks (aka French engineering) My Citroën Saxo Electrique is right now going thought a Battery Swap (I'm converting it to Lifepo4) but before that it was my daily commuter ! This video has brought me so much joy seeing you enjoy this small French car so much ! Your French accent was perfect :) As always, sorry if my English is a little bit "rusty" Best regards Jérémy
I too thought it was a bit too price for a car but then I looked at prices of new and used combustion cars that are in same licensing category then it is cheaper than those So considering new and electric it is really nice price point - even there are some amis in my town
8:07 It is because in France, scooter and small car without driving licence like the Ami are required to have their headlight ON at all time to be seen (since.. they are small). And probably has also to do with daytime headlight which required on every car (I don't know if it exist in north america ?)
I believe all Canadian cars are required to have daytime running lights. Not necessarily the headlights, though those are allowable as DRLs. The US allows DRLs but does not require them either federally or at the state level. Most motorcycles in the US drive with their headlights on all the time but most car drivers only turn them on at night.
In the US, you do not need to have ANY lights on during the day. I wish it became a requirement on new cars since it's safer but most cars have these lights anyway now. My car doesn't have any lights on if the headlights are off, but it does have "parking lights". This turns on all the night-time lighting, as if the headlights are on, except in the front the turn signal lights turn on instead of the headlights. I don't really know what it's for, since it would take energy from the battery if you left it on for too long, and leaving the car with parking lights triggers the headlight warning chime.
The thing looks and sounds like a kitted out golf cart. It even looks like it drives like one. I was surprised to not see any golf cart comparisons. Those things also come in electric flavor.
If you can call it an ATV, you can register and plate it for street use in a few states (WY for sure). That would be a blast for non-snowy days. (And a different kind of fun for snowy days.)
Imagine the upgrade possibilities. Swap out the battery for a bigger one,engine for a stronger one, applying sound isolation, installing a audio system or even multimedia.
Totally adorable quirky motorized marshmallow 😀 Gotta love it. Having said that, I'm glad the Mia is still your favorite. If you're ever in this neck of the woods (Oslo, Norway), you can drive my Mia (the lwb four seat version). It actually goes up hills!
As for the always on headlight - that's likely the law in that car's home country. In my corner of Europe at least you're required to have the headlights on regardless on the time of day. As for the price - Europeans found it surprisingly high too.
If you like this kind of mini french EV you should try the Renault Twizy, I own one! A bit older than the Ami but much more fun (for the 80km/h version at least)... no idea how you can get your hands on one though :D Also I am french but had had never heard of the Mia before!
God those things are ugly. Fun and handy, but so very ugly. It's like Renault looked at the Fiat Multipla and went: "Yes. That's it. That is perfection. We must recreate this." Just... terrible.
Now this is Citroën truly getting back to their cheap and quirky roots. I wish there were electric highway cars that were as relatively simple as this (with crumple zones and airbags of course).
There's one of these in my town in England, and I'm always fascinated by it! It's such a hilarious scrunkly vehicle and you can never tell which way is the front at a glance. Pure French weirdness!
I've sat in one (more precisely it was an Opel Rocks-e, which is the same thing) and it's great. Surprisingly roomy and cheap. I imagine it to be absolutely perfect for big city driving. It starts at ~9k€ in Germany. I have an electric moped that I bought for ~3000€, and considering this thing has around the same range, twice the amount of wheels and a roof, I think it's not terribly priced. I'd totally buy one if I lived in a house close to/in a big city. Saves my real car from doing short runs. EDIT: There's now a FIAT Topolino, which is based on the same platform but with different and cuter styling that looks just like an even more squished FIAT 500.
8:05 In Europe you have to always have lights switched on, when driving. So for a car targeted to unexperienced drivers its actually a good thing, that you don't have to remember it.
@@AJC508 I'm sorry, my mistake. As @drunkenhobo8020 said I mixed things up with what he said, and that in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania etc. they are mandatory, so I wrongly assumed that its just whole EU thing.
Add some isolation for colder weather. And it would be a great commuter if you don't have to drive too far for work. And depending on the range it could make a good city delivery vehicle too.
man i wish more cars were like that, it looks durable with that flexible plastic, the pull straps and the copy-pasted panneling. its also very simple so fixing it won't be expensive and most likely can be done by anyone with basic tools.
If you ever get a chance please check out the MG Comet, it's similar to the Ami, but it seats 4 is supposedly nicer (never been inside one so can't confirm). Note: it's only called the Comet in India, and the Chevrolet Spark EV in Egypt, otherwise it's the Wuling Air EV.
I bought an electric Smart ForTwo a few years ago with 1100 miles on the odometer for ~$6k, I feel like that was the bargain of the century compared to this thing!
@@retiredbore378 Absolutely! The range isn't a problem once you get used to it. I know the extents that I can travel from my house and still make it back safely and happily just stay within those. In 4(?) years, have only charged away from home 1 time. Also love leaving much faster cars standing in light to light traffic. Always amusing watching the smug look disappear when the little Smart out-pulls them!😂
i would absolutely love to see these make it to the us. i live outside of a cyclist town, where most car drivers have 12ft tall death machines, so either way it’d be super impractical. but i’d absolutely still buy one if i could
The problem with this car is that, in France, the speed limit in city (by default) is 50km/h and it can go to 45 so it is annoying for other people as street are sometime not straight enough to overtake. They should have make a version 2 of the Citroën AX but in electric in term of design and well designed coast reduction
Most cities are clogged with traffic and you’re just racing to get to the next traffic light. You could over take and the Ami would end up directly behind you as you wait at the traffic light 😆
I was just in Nashville visiting friends, and randomly found the Lane Motor Museum. If you're in Nashville, go visit. Its incredible. So much neat stuff.
Use code AGINGWHEELS50 to get 50% off your first Factor box at bit.ly/3JBxZfN!
You have very odd likes, Robert. Please don't ever change.
ah yes the fresh frozen food :D
Did I miss a video where you got a R1T?
Half assumed this would be a promo code for an Ami
@agingwheels Hint: The car is also sold under the brand Opel as Rocks-e and under the brand FIAT as Topolino because these brands are part of the parent company Stellantis. Price in € starts at 7390 that converts to USD 8.084.
It's like if a bike helmet was the whole mode of transportation.
It's like an engineer started with "I'm going to start cycling to work." and then, through rain and needing to carry a passenger and wanting to carry cargo and not liking exercise, gradually scope-creeped to this.
"But Jacques, you've simply created another car!"
"SHUT UP, HENRI!"
I was thinking more it started with a round of golf. It's even got that suspicious hatchback-but-not-hatchback panel that looks like it would open up just enough space for two golf bags if removed.
No, that's a velomobile
This is so accurate 😂
Bugsy Malone moment
Slight correction on the pricing. The UK pricing I straight converted over to USD was the price including VAT and other fees. So it is actually less than $10k!
Yeah you guys over there are used to seeing prices everywhere without taxes, aren't ya?
(Speaking of which, I understand why it is being done this way in the US but it sounds incredibly annoying to me because I suck at math)
@@SilentdragonDehonestly, we just don't do the math most of the time. We let the cash register do it
In Germany it came in the market 2022 for 6000 euros starting price which is approx 6500 U.S Dollars today,
@@expatmoose that's cheaper than my bike, damn.
@@SilentdragonDe Sales tax is 5.3% on most purchases in my part of VA and vehicle Sales and Use Tax (SUT) is 4.15%. A rough estimate is price/20 and /25, which most people should be able to do in their head.
For what it is, its perfect. A super cheap, real basic but useful car for cities, easy to use for teens and elders, and looks adorable!
Yeah, I don't get the "oh 10k is expensive" when that's barely more than a good battery electric transport bycicle and the next cheapest battery electric car is what? a dacia spring for 22k EUR or chevy bolt for like 25-30k US$?
@@IzzyIkigaiit would still be competing against a used Leaf, which is usually cheaper (around $7K), and has greater range, passenger and cargo capacity, as well as proper heating and air conditioning.
get second hand renault zoe for so much cheaper or any other budget electric car lol
@@IzzyIkigai
Teens driving gives me a heart attack
@@tadesubaru1383 it is normal in a lot of places, particularly on farms and ranches.
I think there needs to be a Citroen Ami rallycross series. With a bucket seat and esc tune to let it go faster it would be a rally beast
well let's buy some and do one together I would have a blast driving around in a cheap tiny electric car like that it would be such fun
Rallying with this thing is about as safe as putting a hamster in a tin can and throwing down Niagara falls. This actually happened and the hamster survived but thats not the point, crashes in this thing at any thing over 20mph would be near deadly. Maybe a roll cage and some sort of padding inside because of the lack of any door cards. Although then you would need bigger motors because of the weight increase.
@@Infernos94 With a bucket seat, chassis bracing, battery upgrades, a esc tune, and maybe a 2 stage transmission it should be fast enough and strong enough to be fun and safe
@@crazycat7760honestly it's a 15hp motor, all you can do is remove the lowered rpm limiter, you'd be better off swapping all the glass for some kind of polymer if you want performance
Al 4 1/2 laps - LOL
as mentioned the car being available to drive without license, it makes it VERY popular with high schoolers in France whom would only be allowed to drive at 18y otherwise.
So on my way to the grocery store, i can spot between 6 and 10 AMIs on the 30 places public high school's parking lot. This is a little bit funny.
Also your french is perfect mon ami !
-- quick follow up (dec 12), i noticed an ad for the ami at the mall, they totally advertise it as a "16yo car".
Then for the pricing discussion, "who can put 10ke in a high schooler vehicle", citroen offers a leasing deal at 30e/month, probably with a starting amount but still quite affordable for most upper middle class households.
I'm not sure but i believe it includes insurance, which is mandatory for all road vehicles and can get quite expensive, and a 3 years "AMICARE" free maintenance service.
Also i haven't checked but i heard they sold 25k AMIs in France.
Finally Citroen just announced a new 2024 300miles EV (real car) at 23ke which kind of looks like the OLI prototype car.
Cheers
That's awesome. It's cool that they have the option
@@getchasome6230 The alternative is a 50cc scooter so...
In Finland you need a license to drive a quadricycle, so here it makes no real sense at all.
@@TopiasSalakka that’s disappointing:°(
@@KuroAno Not really. You need a licence for any of these Euro-wide. But it's a a very small one.
The Ami is as quirky and amusing as only Citroen could pull off.
Here in Portugal its class of city quads is called "pension-eaters" because of their strong elderly userbase, and it can actually be test-driven and purchased at Fnac retail stores!
Was looking for a comment like this! :)
As a car guy i think it's truly perfect for the city and in a place like Portugal, which seldom invests in modern or efficient forms of transport, it readily fulfils the roles of everything from students having to do long distances to get to school, to delivering mail throughout cities, all without wearing out the roads we all pay for or creating more traffic, unlike most EV's out there.
@@freggs4906 It fits well in urban areas. In rural areas its even more perfect, charging at home.
But if you do national roads regularly (70 kmh limit), you need to deal with other vehicles running above speed limit, trucks included. Being bullied is no good.
And here in Portugal you have a major (economical) problem.
Not everybody has 8k euros easily to spend in a main car, even less a second vehicle like AMI. The minimum month salary here is 760 euros without taxes.
I like the AMI, but is suitable for some cases.
@@freggs4906 I'd love to see more tiny vehicles permitted on the roads, even if restricted to electric only. If I can ride a goofy OCC chopper motorcycle with completely ass backward geometry, or a 49cc scooter, why can't I ride a quad or a golf cart at least on surface streets? Small engine emissions argument goes in the trash if it's BEV, and this is the sort of use case the current state of BEV makes the most sense for, trips inside the city and the immediate outskirts.
Yes, it's a great solution for elderly people, or handicapped people, or even people who don't want or need a car but need a little extra room for groceries than they can fit in their bike.
Although, I'm not sure the Ami is the best value for its money, even at its lower price here around 8,890 EUR. Not so long as it doesn't offer at least a little bit more comfort and room for its drivers.
Regardless I've always thought these cars were cute as a button.
Hey hey :) do you need a driving license to drive it in Portugal?
I love the Ami! And also: if we wanna talk sustainability, which we are talking about when we talk about electric vehicles, this car includes many good ideas and is thus much more thought-through than some other billionaire 6,000 pound heavy vanity projects ...
this thing would be so much fun to modify. Adding insulation, better door pulls, better seats, headlight switch, heck maybe even a larger battery pack
A bit too small to modify it into camper tho :(
@@Kiev-en-3-jours just take out the passenger seat
Can this even be called a Car?😂 like take it back to 1950 and it would be the future. But I promise they would ask how to turn off the headlights😂😂😂
@@charliekahn4205I think that it might be illegal because laws are stupid
@@batorerdyniev9805 I'm pretty sure it's legal to take out the passenger seat in Europe
French person here! We're starting to see those everywhere in France, especially as company cars. Always fun to see American youtubers taking a look at cars only seen in Europe 🔥
En temps que québecois citroen ne vend pas au canada alors je n'ai pas vue une seul citroen de ma vie je n'ai mème pas entendue parler d'une citroen importer elle sont très rare au canada.
Its terrible. What is wrong with you ppl. As a german I dont approve. This is a RC car and shopping cart mixed for 8k € ?
@@stepstv4466 They're making vehicles people want to buy!! How terrible!!
anyone who wants to buy this, should have his head checked first
@@stepstv4466 Here it's the Opel Rocks-e.
They call it a quadricycle, but I think some actual side-by-side ATVs probably have superior crash protection. :)
That's part of the reason it's called a quadricycle: it doesn't have to meet car safety standards. The other big reason, as explained in the video, is that you can drive it (in France) without a driving licence, either because you lost it, don't have one, or are too young. You can start driving those as early as 14yo, compared to minimum 18yo to get a driving licence (soon to be 17yo).
It's basically a glorified golf cart.
Also, you can drive it if your license was taken away because of DUIs@@MecanoDeLaCave
@@MecanoDeLaCavejust Mike the reliant Robin, except with 4 wheels and better (maybe) quality.
@@eirinym basically what the Wheego or the kandy car would be if they weren't a big burning dumpster fire...
Here in Norway, at least for 16 to 17 year olds, quadricycles, known as Moped/Microcars for us, are quite popular. The electric type of Microcars aren't popular, but the diesel Microcars are. Especially the Aixam brand, which I also believe is French or Italian.
Edit: Over here, The Ami is sold for the equivalent 13340 US Dollars or about 140000 NOK.
UK person here - these are pretty rare over here, but I do see one of them scooting around my (medium sized regional) city on a regular basis. They are a bit more popular in London where I guess they make sense for short commutes. One of the selling points over here is that you can drive them on a moped licence (category AM, 50cc) rather than a regular car licence - this means you can drive it at 16, rather than 17 for a car. The downside is that you would still need to pass your moped test before you could do that, and you'd probably be nearly 17 by the time you did all that!
I was about to say: a 28mph [45km/h] top speed, and they looked really light, they seemed awfully close to the AM quad category. Even with that, at least personally, maybe other than say delivery (with their cargo option) I struggle to see the upsides of this over either a two-wheeled moped or motorcycle, or a "proper" car...
It's got about the right amount of electronics for an electric car that i want.
It doesn't even have a radio! Geez boomers are weird.
@@pootispiker2866 Know what you do when a car doesn't have a radio? You wire one in yourself. No one's stopping you from doing that.
@@pootispiker2866Well the idea is that most people just use their phone anyway so just cut out the middleman and have a phone spot and Bluetooth speaker holder, saving the cost of a radio and speakers
@@pootispiker2866 For this vehicle's intended use case, you aren't driving for long enough to need a radio. And if you do, they left you a spot to put in your own speaker.
@@pootispiker2866 Lmao the radio is literally for boomers. Everyone else just needs just a Bluetooth speaker.. which is basically just amped speaker and nothing else.
I prefer the original Ami. Having the headlights on permanently is probably also a cost-cutting measure; they won't have to adjust the car for sales in Denmark and other countries where you always have to have your headlights on.
Not only Denmark but all EU countries require DRL (daytime running light) after a certain production year in the past to be street legal. The cost efficiency is just to not differ between DRL and low beam. And as the car is limited to 45 km/h high beam is not mandatory.
And btw, I prefer the original Ami too! Original Ami converted to electric... 😜
I think it's also required to have your lights always on in France, since my old 90s Peugeot has specific daytime running lights which I don't think any other nation's cars had.
@@GlamStacheessnostalgialounge A few models had designated DRL but most the standard low beam was used as DRL. And there were after market products for people who wanted to reduce the power consumption. From standard 55 watts low beam bulbs to 35 watts DRL...
@@rome0610 Ah, didn't know that. Think the German government will have to make that clearer, because I haven't heard anything about that. Not that it affects me, because I already do DRL
DLR's are ass when they dont light up the rear lights and idiots drive with the during the night with their ass dark. i much prefer the old way of having lights on 24/7
This and the Citroën Oli both feel like so incredibly happy cars. They feel like something that's fun to drive and like they have a personality. So cool to see this one on the channel!
Not so happy after an accident though.
And also incredibly expensive cars. The price is way to high for what you get in return. A full plastic interior. No radio, no airbags, no normal seats but cheap plastic ones with a foam cushion on them, no trunk/boot, no rear bench or rear seats, etc.
@@obsidianjane4413"you won't be smiling when something bad happens!" No shit, sherlock
@@knijnwell, it's the same as complaining that the original 500 was bad because it was basic, it isn't designed to be a car, it's designed to be a moped replacement with a roof
I’ve been following a few TH-camrs who have these and it seems the quality on these dropped dramatically after the first release (one guy had panels that were stretching and beginning to break) another had electrical issues. It’s covered by one TH-camr I believe called Me and Mon Ami
it's a french car ... some folk would say that comes with the territory ;)
IIRC, the Ami started back in the day at 6000 Euros, but prices have gone up a lot. The lease is the most attractive thing about it at only 30 Euros per month. That's cheaper than a bus pass.
With the reliability issues (how the hell did they manage to make an EV so unreliable) leasing is definitely the way to go with these things.
@@luelou8464how the hell did the French manage to make an EV unreliable?
@@reggie132 the French can do anything, regardless of whether or not they should
why not get a cheap twingo or lupo, or hell even a smart fortwo? You can usually find one of those for less than 800eur and some even have a/c, sometimes even functional.
@@mihneacireasa4613Because then you have to deal with keeping it running. Many pople are not interested in that.
Our family had the original back in the 70s and it was a hateful thing. Mainly because of the vinyl seats with a hatched pattern. As a kid going to school in shorts all I can remember is the same pattern being heat-embossed into the back of my legs on sunny days.
As for the new one, it's so cute. Nice work Citroen. Although that sunroof suggests they haven't learned much about how hot a car can get.
As someone who owns an Ami: yes, it gets so hot in summer and the best thing we can do is flap the doors like wings to try to get the most fresh air in as possible
I saw this on Citroen’s website a couple months ago and had a good chuckle about it. And I figured if you could get one in the US Aging wheels would indeed be all about it. Didn’t actually think Id see this happen.
I saw the Opel version of this car (the "Rocks-e") in Amsterdam back in May, and had to take a picture because of how much I loved it. It's such a perfect human-sized vehicle for cities.
This is an amazing proposal for the city. Citroën made it great again. Unfortunately it's a bit too expensive. Not that many people can reach the 8000€ it costs here in Portugal. One thing that's used a lot here is for the postal company to sent their postman to deliver all around, with the cargo version.
Citroen👏
It was 8 grand??
They break down 24/7. Most Citroen Ami owners in the UK had at least one replacement
@@mrjed6912, in their pocket at all times, I presume.
Rich kids can afford them.
There's often an Ami from CTT parked close to my home - a funny sight for sure!
@agingwheels the phone holder is meant to have a clippy bit that wedges onto the protruding plastic and then grips your phone from the sides. Seemed to be missing on your unit.
I really love the concept of the Ami but I apparently have long legs and short arms so couldn't find a seating position where I could reach the wheel and get my legs under it. I ended up buying a Leaf but lusting after an Ami
I'm a big fan of the Lane Motor Museum. They were nice to let me take a close look at one of their cars in the vault to compare against my own that I imported. Really cool place to check out if you are in the area.
I always love an honest American review on European functional design. The Ami shown in this video, was probably the most exotic thing on 4 wheels in all of the North-Americas.
A couple of youtubers (Me and Mon Ami) bought one of these two years ago and centred their channel around it. Their ~100 videos on it are an excellent demonstration of life with it (in the south of France). Highly recommended.
Some of us don't live in The South Of France and are surrounded by 40-60 mph roads. This car would be slow and dangerous. It's a no from me.
@@captricharddee3634 And? Is someone forcing you to buy one of these? Why are you so grumpy? Is it because you would like to live in the south of France?
@@captricharddee3634 It sounds like it is your problem Richo. Pretty sure nobody cares if this car is a great fit for you or not.
@@banaana1234 Who wouldn't. Too bad about all the French and French people, but hey, you can't have everything, and I am prepared to speak as much French as is necessary to get my hands on some freshly made cassoulet.
@@captricharddee3634 And that's exactly why it's sold in markets like France, and not in other places where people wouldn't have a use for it. Supply and demand, isn't it beautiful?
The small door net is for the optional side impact protection. In France this is obviously a baguette - hence the size of the next pocket Sacrebleu! - net door cargo holder 😍😍😎😎
I like it! It’s cleverly minimalist and very Citroen. It was would be excellent for local journeys around my neck of the woods.
I only knew this thing as an "Opel Rocks-e". It can be driven with a scooter driving licence at the age of 15/16 here in Germany. I would loved to have one of those when I was that age for "traveling" between the villages where busses only drive like every few hours and basically never after dawn especially on weekends...
Robert if you like the AMI, Fiat has a rebadging called the Topolino, which is slightly less cost-cutty, notably featuring an actual front and back, a nicer green color, and a luggage rack for a trunk in the back (the pictures show a suitcase in it, but I don't know if that's standard). The "Topolino Dolcevita" is their variant of the buggy and looks stellar: it has a tan convertible fabric (ish) roof you roll back and rope barrier doors.
_Topolino_ I'vd heard of Mickey Mouse cars before, but this sounds like a real Mickey Mouse car to me. 🤣
apparently you can drive the topolino from as young as 14 years old :O
@@bearwynn yes it's the same as the AMI, because they're classified as light quadricycles rather than cars they can be driven without a license (so you can still drive them if you've lost your license) and starting at 14 years old. They are essentially 4-wheeled vespas.
Opel has built the same vehicle calling it the Opel Rocks-e. It really shows how boring these vehicles are.
@@knijn like the Topolino, the Rocks-e is a rebadging of the Ami, it's the same vehicle: Citroen, Fiat, and Opel are all part of the Stellantis group, and all three vehicles are built in the stellantis factory of Kenitra, Morocoo.
Unlike the Topolino however the Rocks-E is nothing more than a rebadging, the only distinction is that it launched and is available in Germany, a country where Citroen has essentially no presence. Its purpose is to be distributable through Opel dealerships.
Slight correction: in addition to France and the UK, this vehicle is also sold in Germany (rebranded as the Opel Rocks) and in Italy (rebranded as the Fiat Topolino)
Greece, too
These are not the same cars
@@ardentdrops they are. Just a rebranding and some cosmetic changes.
It is available in Portugal
I KNEW THAT FIAT TOPOLINO LOOKED TOO FAMILIAR
I was in Paris 2 weeks ago and saw a few ones. I took a picture of one because I was so curious. So cool that you made an overview video so close to my trip.
My mom watched this vid alongside me (we like watching them together) and she thinks it's adorable. I spotted and bought a Matchbox version of it as an additional present for her this Christmas xD
I've changed my mind it's not an electric golf cart it is an electrified version of The Little tikes coupe now I definitely need one!!!!! I would so paint it exactly like the Little tikes coupe!!!
Love the Lane Motor Museum! I thought of you when I visited it for the first time last month! Hoped you were a regular there. What, $12 to get in, $10 for the vault tour? An absolute bargain. I think Kevin was our guide that day and he really knew his stuff. I'm a Sprite guy, and would love to get closer looks at their examples but took loads of pictures for my MG car club friends of the MG Ts the owner and his father owned, a few Sprites they have hidden away, and the Berkeley a young friend is infatuated with. An amazing museum anyone visiting Nashville should make the trek a few miles from downtown to go see.
Oh, it's *Lane* , I thought he was calling it the Lame Motor Museum. That makes more sense, because it's not lame.
thats so cheap for a good packed museum I would want to leave a tip on top of that. I've been to so many museums that cost more to get in and have less to see but have nicer... carpet? Better marble on the building? Frank Gehry design?
@@GermanSausagesAreTheWurst yes, LANE. Jeff Lane is the founder. He's still involved daily. It's an amazing museum. Bargain. If you visit Nashville, take a few hours break from football or Broadway bar crawling, or music stuff and visit this place every time you're in town.
I think Jeff owns half the MG Ts in Nashville. The annual British Car Club show at Centennial Park is always fun.
@@GermanSausagesAreTheWurst I thought the same thing. Instead of a sport car museum, it's just for average daily drivers.
I think you can get a street legal plate for it in some states. UTVs can be made street legal by adding a windsheild,rear view mirror and side mirrors, so as long as this has a seat belt it should already have all the things.
South Carolina has plates for "low speed vehicles" like DOT approved street golf carts which thing does the exact same speed as but for 1/2 the price as a higher end Tomberlin cart
I Iowa it is left up to the towns to decide. In my town i could get a $10 license plate like i would with a golf cart or utv and put insurance on it and drive it in town, just not on hyws. Would need a slow moving sign and a flag.
@@lancelarson6710I mean, it does 45kmh (~30mph if I'm not mistaken) at most, you definitely wouldn't want to go on a highway, I'd even hazard to say you might be better off taking a dirt road over the highway
My father just got one recently. Great for crowded cities and cheap to own. Also very practical. There is more room inside than the outside would suggest. The price is much less than 10k$. At launch it was 6k€, which now raised to about 7.5k€, mainly due to inflation. But the real advantage is that you can pay about half the price at purchase and then just 20€ a month, which is very convenient for most people.
Yes this thing is adorable. I've actually looked into getting one, supposedly in mainland europe it starts at 6k € (which is what you suggested/expected). Unfortunately, it being limited to 45 kph makes it like driving a roadblock. I know it's cause of the small vehicle classification which for reasons I'll never understand is still at this speed, while normal inner-city traffic (or anything in a village like area) is 50 kph. So you go 45, while everyone around you wants to go 50 (legally) or 55-60 (actually). Wonderful. So for the price, and what you get, I don't think it's for me after all.
Note that it supposedly loads to full on a normal EU outlet (220V) in ~3 hours, which is slightly better, but not by that much either in practice.
In the netherlands the law is that if a vehicle can reach 50 kph it may enter a 80 kph road and when it can go 60 kph it may enter the highway. So with regulations, it is not yet possible to let any other vehicle go faster than 45 if you don't want it on any faster roads than the city.
Another reasons is, that if it can go faster than 45 it needs safety equipment as a crash structure, airbags and lane assist etc. That would make it too expensive for such a simple car.
Reason for the 45 kph limit is a complety senseless EU compromise on the top speed of mopeds. A 60 kph limit like in East Germany would make much more sense.
It is posible to remove the speed limiter if you dont care about the waranty. Then it can go more than 60kph on flat road.
@@martingazi6762 Sorry but that is HORRIBLE "advice" and that has nothing to do with the warranty. The vehicle is no longer street legal, as you're invalidating the parameters which were used to get that rating. That means your insurance is null and void. Run into the side of a bentley or something? good luck with paying that out of pocked, but hey your car went slightly faster! Let alone if you cause any bodily harm to anyone, where it can quickly hit millions if they receive serious injury. I'm pretty sure this is true for most of the EU.
@@TheCreatyou're absolutely right. The entire design of this vehicule is based on thoses regulations to allow teenagers and licenless people to drive it, removing the speed limit is illegal and horrible advice.
I love how this makes my rebadged Daewoo seem like an SUV. It's too bad our city planning in the US isn't really conducive to this kind of car because having this lil guy to run around in would be perfect for how little i actually use my personal vehicle.
There are a bunch of suburban-enclaves in the US that ban cars. People then get around in NEVs--Neighborhood Electric Vehicles commonly known as fancy golf carts, limited to a certain speed. Most notoriously "The Villages" in Florida
@@stephen1r2Cars absolutely aren't banned there, although I agree the vast majority of residents tend to scoot around in their golf carts.
@@TheHamburgler123 I thought that most of the streets were sized for walks or those carts?
@stephen1r2 There are dedicated golf cart lanes everywhere. However, there is still road infrastructure that supports full-size vehicles all throughout the entire expanse of the villages. Most people still have garages and many own cars to travel within or outside of the development.
Main drawback I see for this in a city is just it's still only gonna fit one per standard parking space, whereas a scooter/motorcycle/ebike can easily fit 2 or more, or even park on the sidewalk without interfering with anything. I commuted in San Fran on a 650cc bike for 3 years and it was really the perfect vehicle for that place; plenty of power for when I did want to go on the highway (and lots of nice places to ride on the ocean side of the peninsula) but compact and easily handled enough that I could easily park it pretty much anywhere I went.
That was the most amazing series and tensest endings ive seen in a video. Congrats on completing this!
I remember that one video of the Citroen Ami rolling on its side going round the Grand Hotel Hairpin at Monaco; such a small car with a low centre of gravity from the batteries at the floor and it still managed to tip over!
That tight turn is famous for giving even pro drivers issues at high speed, the teenager driving it was essentially trying to tip it over and only did it on the 3rd try lol
Well, rolling on its side was the goal tho.
Someone in my village has the Opel version of this. You're definitely are in the center auf attention with this car. I personally like my eScooter for a fifth of the cost better, even if I get wet in the rain with it.
I have never understood why they limit those "tiny cars" (that you can drive with basically a moped license) to 45 km/h, instead of 50 km/h (which is the standard in-city speed limit here in Germany and many other european countries). If they were allowed to drive 50, they could just flow with the normal city traffic and nobody would object. But since they are limited to just slightly slower, they often start to hold up traffic.
In the netherlands the law is that if a vehicle can reach 50 kph it may enter a 80 kph road and when it can go 60 kph it may enter the highway. So with regulations, it is not yet possible to let any other vehicle go faster than 45 if you don't want it on any faster roads than the city.
Another reasons is, that if it can go faster than 45 it needs safety equipment as a crash structure, airbags and lane assist etc. That would make it too expensive for such a simple car.
The law setting up the speed limit is from the 1950's when street speed limit was 60 and not 50.
Same absurd logic than young drivers in France being limited to 80 kph instead of 90 and 110 instead of 130 on freeways (but not limited on roads limited to 110 or in cities).
I do agree it's an absurd limitation and people here have found out the AMI is perfectly capable of driving up to 60 or even 70kph.
You can drive this without a driver's license. If it wqould be faster, that would not be the case.
@@villehursti At least in France it require a "road code licence" (delivered in schools) if you were born after 1988.
As others have said, the speed limit is meant to keep these cars inside the city.I don't think being rear-ended by a truck going 80 km/h is a lot of fun when your sitting in an Ami.
So one of these driving around last week and meant to Google what it was so thank you for saving me the trouble.
Very cute, and the same colour as those three wheeled British mobility vehicles from the 1960s..
I absolutely love quirky French cars. I lived there in the nineties and borrowed a friend’s original Clio Williams and would just drive out into the countryside to go car spotting. One of the highlights of my life!
This car is just literally perfect. It's exactly what it needs to be, which is not a luxury commuter vehicle but a small car meant for only city traffic. It's an exercise in cost-cutting and proof that affordable EVs can become a thing.
Now we just need other manufacturers to do the same, and eventually we'll get actual real electric cars that don't cost a fortune too!
That sweet spot of cutting everything possible while still being well built is a small market. I want a car like this, cheap, does the bare minimum for comfort, but is reliable.
@@Arzon527Well the problem is that they're not reliable. Somehow. And the build quality is horrible, it leaks like a sieve and most of the panels don't line up.
@@SPAZTICCYTOPLASM You have already said that in 25 other comments on this page alone. Why lying? This is the future either you like it or not.
It doesn't even have a charge port, just a little household plug lol
You can register it as an LSV. It's the same registration they use on the KEI trucks imported from Japan. Here in Pennsyltaxya I see a few of the Japanese mini trucks with legal registration on them and when I asked the owners they said that's how they did it.
Those have to meet the 25 year requirement, right?
@@Xatzimi the Mini trucks yes. But in PA you you can register any manufactured vehicle with a manufacturer certificate proper vin number and a few other things. It differs from state to state but most have LSV laws to allow legal registration.
I've seen an Ami around Edinburgh a couple of times and it's a very weird but cute sight to behold. It makes sense in the city, but the potholes scare me in relation to it.
11:08 not just any BX, that's a BX 4TC. Rare car!
I remember that Citroën advertised the Ami as a cute road-legal toaster here😂
The lane motor museum was my favorite thing about visiting Tennessee. Went when I was a teenager. Great place, was surprised when I learned the guy walking around chatting to us about the cars was the owner. Hilarious to see he still has that giant military thing parked out back.
I got to test drive the Ami when it first came out and the only thing I actually hated on it was the speed limiter. It's set at 45 km/h because that's the legal max speed for a moped/quadricycle in most countries, but it also limits you when going downhill, which is really annoying at times. Not to mention that a large portion of the streets in my city have a 50 km/h speed limit (everyone does 55 anyways) and the Ami is just wide enough that passing it on a tight city street is almost impossible.
Get rid of the speed limiter and it's perfect. Probably the best modern Citroën model.
Wait... Did I miss the Rivian purchase?! If it's yours or whatever, looking very forward to the review! Oh, great video as always!
Well played with the BX, sir, well played.
absolutely love any video at the Lane! awesome!
Came here to say I recognized the Lane Motor Museum. I visited last year, I love that place. Great content as always!
10:30 behind there on the right hand side the mustard color Skoda looks just like the one we had as a kid in the late 80s to drive around in the field. Even the color is the same. Of course that one is 'a bit' better condition than ours was.
Hi from France :)
I had the chance to visit the Lane Motor Museum a few months ago, this museum is awesome, tons of cars from home that I would never have expected to see in the US!
I have seen the AMI there, this is a BEST Seller in France you can see them everywhere, starting price is around €7000.
They also have in their collection another Small electric Citroën that I also own : The Citroën Saxo Electrique :)
I hope that some day you will be able to do a review of that car, because it was really innovative for 1997, and it has a lot of funny quirks (aka French engineering)
My Citroën Saxo Electrique is right now going thought a Battery Swap (I'm converting it to Lifepo4) but before that it was my daily commuter !
This video has brought me so much joy seeing you enjoy this small French car so much !
Your French accent was perfect :)
As always, sorry if my English is a little bit "rusty"
Best regards
Jérémy
I too thought it was a bit too price for a car but then I looked at prices of new and used combustion cars that are in same licensing category then it is cheaper than those
So considering new and electric it is really nice price point - even there are some amis in my town
LOVE the Lane! they let me drive their 2CV and Mini a couple years ago
8:07 It is because in France, scooter and small car without driving licence like the Ami are required to have their headlight ON at all time to be seen (since.. they are small). And probably has also to do with daytime headlight which required on every car (I don't know if it exist in north america ?)
I believe all Canadian cars are required to have daytime running lights. Not necessarily the headlights, though those are allowable as DRLs. The US allows DRLs but does not require them either federally or at the state level. Most motorcycles in the US drive with their headlights on all the time but most car drivers only turn them on at night.
In the US, you do not need to have ANY lights on during the day. I wish it became a requirement on new cars since it's safer but most cars have these lights anyway now. My car doesn't have any lights on if the headlights are off, but it does have "parking lights". This turns on all the night-time lighting, as if the headlights are on, except in the front the turn signal lights turn on instead of the headlights. I don't really know what it's for, since it would take energy from the battery if you left it on for too long, and leaving the car with parking lights triggers the headlight warning chime.
The thing looks and sounds like a kitted out golf cart. It even looks like it drives like one. I was surprised to not see any golf cart comparisons. Those things also come in electric flavor.
I love love love this. Its perfect for city driving.. I need this
Awesome video. I was so happy when I saw it in my feed.
If you can call it an ATV, you can register and plate it for street use in a few states (WY for sure). That would be a blast for non-snowy days. (And a different kind of fun for snowy days.)
Heating is the issue. I can't imagine this car being anywhere north of France, including Germany and the UK.
Imagine the upgrade possibilities. Swap out the battery for a bigger one,engine for a stronger one, applying sound isolation, installing a audio system or even multimedia.
@@lillexus5589 And then there's the magic words that come up whenever there's a tiny car...Hayabusa swap.
Ah, bumber cars
@@LMB222 Heating? Worry more about cooling. I don't see this car being sold anywhere south of Kansas.
Totally adorable quirky motorized marshmallow 😀 Gotta love it. Having said that, I'm glad the Mia is still your favorite. If you're ever in this neck of the woods (Oslo, Norway), you can drive my Mia (the lwb four seat version). It actually goes up hills!
I love these type of video from you!
As for the always on headlight - that's likely the law in that car's home country. In my corner of Europe at least you're required to have the headlights on regardless on the time of day.
As for the price - Europeans found it surprisingly high too.
If you like this kind of mini french EV you should try the Renault Twizy, I own one! A bit older than the Ami but much more fun (for the 80km/h version at least)... no idea how you can get your hands on one though :D
Also I am french but had had never heard of the Mia before!
Kyle Conner (from Out Of Spec Reviews) has a Twizzy! Perhaps he'd share if asked nicely :)
God those things are ugly. Fun and handy, but so very ugly. It's like Renault looked at the Fiat Multipla and went: "Yes. That's it. That is perfection. We must recreate this."
Just... terrible.
Now this is Citroën truly getting back to their cheap and quirky roots. I wish there were electric highway cars that were as relatively simple as this (with crumple zones and airbags of course).
Isn't the Citroën Oli motorway-capable? It's also quirky and simple and (relatively) small
@Xatzimi It looks like the Oli is just a concept. I also think a highway car should have better aerodynamics than a cinderblock.
No, buy the electric death cage
Looks like the new Citroen EC3 should be decent! One of the cheaper electric cars as well.
It's not cheap.
There's one of these in my town in England, and I'm always fascinated by it! It's such a hilarious scrunkly vehicle and you can never tell which way is the front at a glance. Pure French weirdness!
The Ami could certainly be approved as a US NEV with a few compliance tweaks. How about it, Citroen? I'd buy one.
I've sat in one (more precisely it was an Opel Rocks-e, which is the same thing) and it's great. Surprisingly roomy and cheap. I imagine it to be absolutely perfect for big city driving.
It starts at ~9k€ in Germany. I have an electric moped that I bought for ~3000€, and considering this thing has around the same range, twice the amount of wheels and a roof, I think it's not terribly priced. I'd totally buy one if I lived in a house close to/in a big city. Saves my real car from doing short runs.
EDIT: There's now a FIAT Topolino, which is based on the same platform but with different and cuter styling that looks just like an even more squished FIAT 500.
8:05 In Europe you have to always have lights switched on, when driving. So for a car targeted to unexperienced drivers its actually a good thing, that you don't have to remember it.
No you don’t. I have lived most of my life in France, UK and Portugal and there is no mandate to have lights on all the time. Get your facts straight.
@@AJC508Probably getting mixed up with the mandate for daytime running lights on all new cars.
@@drunkenhobo8020Or old UK Buses have there Headlights on but I think they are the Daytime lights as they are brighter at night.
@@AJC508 I'm sorry, my mistake. As @drunkenhobo8020 said I mixed things up with what he said, and that in Poland, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania etc. they are mandatory, so I wrongly assumed that its just whole EU thing.
Must admit I’ve got an Ami and somehow has brought the fun back into driving. Now my wife wants one. It’s got a few quirks but what the hell.
As always, a pleasure to watch.
Add some isolation for colder weather. And it would be a great commuter if you don't have to drive too far for work. And depending on the range it could make a good city delivery vehicle too.
I love this so much 😂 Your presentation is wonderful
That re use of panels and parts on both sides is smart. I like it.
Citroen really went "But what if we made a trash can into a car?" I swear that's the same plastic my toters are made of.
It's the same company that made the 2CV. Turning a trash can into a car is in their DNA
“My Friend the Car”, the next big summer autobiographical book
I reckon we are about due for another Herbie reboot.
I absolutely love this thing and would buy one in a heartbeat here in Montana.
Thanks for the video and Stay safe ✌️.
The dash inserts are loose so you can move them around as per which side of the car needs them.
man i wish more cars were like that, it looks durable with that flexible plastic, the pull straps and the copy-pasted panneling. its also very simple so fixing it won't be expensive and most likely can be done by anyone with basic tools.
It is not a car though..
@@rkan2 it is to me
I always look forward to your videos!
I like the way how they design this thing👌
If you ever get a chance please check out the MG Comet, it's similar to the Ami, but it seats 4 is supposedly nicer (never been inside one so can't confirm).
Note: it's only called the Comet in India, and the Chevrolet Spark EV in Egypt, otherwise it's the Wuling Air EV.
I bought an electric Smart ForTwo a few years ago with 1100 miles on the odometer for ~$6k, I feel like that was the bargain of the century compared to this thing!
@@retiredbore378 Absolutely! The range isn't a problem once you get used to it. I know the extents that I can travel from my house and still make it back safely and happily just stay within those. In 4(?) years, have only charged away from home 1 time. Also love leaving much faster cars standing in light to light traffic. Always amusing watching the smug look disappear when the little Smart out-pulls them!😂
The Opel Rocks-e (the sister of the Ami) is also quite popular in Germany, in some states of Germany you can drive it from 14 on with a small license.
i would absolutely love to see these make it to the us. i live outside of a cyclist town, where most car drivers have 12ft tall death machines, so either way it’d be super impractical. but i’d absolutely still buy one if i could
The problem with this car is that, in France, the speed limit in city (by default) is 50km/h and it can go to 45 so it is annoying for other people as street are sometime not straight enough to overtake. They should have make a version 2 of the Citroën AX but in electric in term of design and well designed coast reduction
Most cities are clogged with traffic and you’re just racing to get to the next traffic light. You could over take and the Ami would end up directly behind you as you wait at the traffic light 😆
Where did the rivian come from? Do you own that?
so funny to see a car i see pretty much everywhere here in France presented here!
Nice to see cars with the doorskin still intact. My car had its doorskin removed at the factory Beecher I took it home
does it also not have a rear view mirror?
I was thinking this would be in the $3-$5k range, maybe $6k for an options package. Little bit nuts at that price.
Yeah It's really expensive. For just a bit more you can get a new car. Like the Opel Karl or similar size.
Just before it was introduced they said it would cost around $7000 and could be leased for under $30/month! But that was obviously BS.
I was just in Nashville visiting friends, and randomly found the Lane Motor Museum. If you're in Nashville, go visit. Its incredible. So much neat stuff.
Everything you need...and nothing you don't. Love it !
I'd love a US - optimized version.