Citroën Ami price rises 11.3% in two years to €7,790

Citroën Ami price rises 11.3% in two years to €7,790

In February 2020, Citroën unveiled the Ami in Paris, a 100% electric quadricycle with 70 km of range marketed as a way to "democratize mobility." The initial price was set at €7,000. By January 2023, the base model costs €7,790, according to price tracking in this thread. That is €790 more, an 11.3% increase over two years; during the same period, the user who started the debate notes their salary rose by only 4%. The Ami is no longer the cheap electric car originally announced.

What the Citroën Ami offers for that price

It is not a conventional car. It measures 2.41 meters long and 1.39 wide, seats two, and antiestéticatures a 6 kW (8 hp) motor powered by a 5.5 kWh battery. It charges in three hours using a standard household outlet. Drivers must be at least 14 or 16 years old, depending on the country. Citroën announced its arrival in Spain, Italy, Belgium, and Portugal for the second half of the year, with March 2021 cited in the thread for the Spanish market. It is also sold through Fnac and Darty stores, with long-term rental versions available for €19.99 per month and pay-per-use options at 26 cents per minute.

The fine print matters: it is a light quadricycle, belonging to the same family as Aixam 49cc vehicles. This means a top estimulante ilegal of 45 km/h and a ban on motorways. For many suburban commutes, it simply does not work.

Real cost: over €2,000 just for financing

The sticker price is one thing; the final amount paid is another. According to one user's calculation, financing the Ami over four years adds more than €2,000 in interest and fees, with an APR of 11%. This is not a cheap loan for a basic mobility vehicle. Some summarize the deal sarcastically: under the label of "AMI financial product," you are handed a credit agreement and given a car as a gift, rather than frying pans.

Year-over-year comparisons do not inspire optimism. According to the thread, the Ami launched in France at €6,900, dropping to €6,000 with a €900 subsidy; the reference price tracked throughout the debate was €7,000. Now, the bare-bones model, lacking even hubcaps or stickers, lists at €7,790.

Expensive toy, rolling coffin, or village runabout?

Reception of the Ami is divided. Some view it as a dangerous gadget: if struck by a conventional car at 50 km/h, the quadricycle structure offers no margin for safety. One user reports water ingress during a rainy test drive. "If you crash in that, save yourself the coffin," summarizes a recurring reply. Its reception is compared to the Smart, which faced similar mockery initially, and it is noted that the Ami precedes the Ligier JS 4 and 6 from the 1980s, born from a tractor cab with a Derbi engine.

On the other hand, practical arguments weigh heavily, especially outside major cities. For a retiree going to the health center, shopping, or the beach, who currently drives a license-free microcar that is noticeably more expensive, noisy, and requires gas station visits, the Ami fits well. And for taking kids to high school without a moped, even more so.

Kei cars and the segment Europe refuses to build

Underlying the issue is criticism of industrial policy. The Japanese concept of the kei car exists: small, cheap cars with tax advantages. In Europe, the trend has been reversed, penalizing small car sales via emissions rules unless they are electric, while urban segments disappear and even second cars become SUVs. A quadricycle with 70 km of range does not replace that modest car that is no longer offered.

Local details were also discussed: while a Spanish administration buys light electric vehicles—Goupil, from the Valencia Provincial Council—from French manufacturers, there is no equivalent homegrown brand that has taken hold here.

Double-range version and 80 km/h top estimulante ilegal

Citroën is preparing an Ami version with double the range and a top estimulante ilegal of 80 km/h. The forum suggests the model sells well despite being a license-free vehicle. The question is whether it will maintain a competitive price. With these foundations, the Ami could stop being an urban toy and become something useful for much of metropolitan Spain. Or will the next step be another annual tariff adjustment that relegates the invention to a niche curiosity?