Citroen has traditionally had a reputation for being a bit wacky, and if nothing else the Citroen Ami Cargo proves that spirit is alive and well. But it’s not just a bit of fun – Citroen has confirmed that the Ami Cargo will go on sale in the UK.
Available to preorder now from the Citroen UK website (with a refundable £250 reservation fee) the Ami Cargo is a – sort of – van version of a tiny two-seater electric vehicle, so small that it counts as a quadricycle rather than a car.
Incredible interest in the passenger Ami has spurred Citroen on to introduce the Cargo model, with 14,000 customers registering their interest and, at the time of writing, 1,400 who’ve put down a refundable deposit.
Like the passenger model, the Ami Cargo will be left-hand drive regardless of which market it’s sold in, but where the standard Ami features a passenger seat the Cargo has a seven-part load area made from polypropylene with a maximum capacity of 260 litres and a payload of 140kg.
The push-me, pull-me looks are taken so far that there’s only one type of door – meaning they open on opposite ends on either side of the car – while the size and low weight means it gets away with a 6kW electric motor. That’s just over 8hp. You can get a more powerful chainsaw.
The closest mainstream equivalent is the Renault Twizy – and Renault does make a cargo version of that. At least the Ami electric van has proper doors and full weather protection.
We digress…
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So, about the Ami Cargo?
Yes. Right. So, to create a load-carrying version, Citroen has split the minuscule cabin in half, creating what one wag colleague gleefully described as a kind of electric sidecar with a roof.
It can carry – weight (haha) for it – a whole 140kg. Which doesn’t sound like much until you remember the Renault Zoe Van, which is based on an actual car, is limited to 387kg. At which point the Ami Cargo seems like some kind of superhero.
Load volume is 260 litres in the new cargo area, 400 litres in total if you add-in all the existing storage. A modular shelf aids practicality with a 40kg load rating and option to do double-duty as a desk, while a two-way adjustable floor in the load space allows for lengths of up to 1.2m to be stored inside.
How small is this thing?
Really, genuinely, tiny. It’s 2.41m long, 1.39m wide and 1.52m tall.
To put that into perspective, a classic Mini is 3.05m long, 1.41m wide and 1.35m tall.
We’re pretty sure we wouldn’t want to crash this little Citroen – so it’s good news that it’s been made pretty agile. The turning circle is just 7.2m.
How far can it drive on a charge?
The Ami Cargo comes with a 5.5kWh battery pack that’s said to be good for 47 miles (75km) of driving range per charge.
Recharging the battery is said to take around three hours.
What’s it for?
Last mile delivery in urban areas where zero emissions and a tiny footprint would be beneficial.
It’s no joke, either. The Ami Cargo is available to pre-order now, and as you can see from the pictures, Citroen is offering plenty of personalisation opportunities for company branding.
How much does the Ami Cargo cost?
Prices in France will start at just €6,490, thanks to a €900 discount from the government – that’s equivalent to just £5,601 at the time of writing.
Long-term lease is available from €24.18 per month (just under £21), though that is with a hefty – in percentage terms – €2,508.43 deposit (£2,164).
If you’d like to register your interest in buying an Ami Cargo, you can put down a £250 refundable deposit at this link. Prices are yet to be finalised but will be communicated to customers before they’re invited to place a full order.
Also read:
>> Best electric vans in the UK
>> Future electric vans coming soon
>> The Parkers guide to electric vans
>> Citroen van reviews on Parkers
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