Europe has opened a big lead on the U.S. when it comes to electrifying its cars, so much so that they have now moved on to making small, practical, specialized EVs. Like the new Citroën My Ami Cargo, which would be perfect for single construction workers.
You think I’m joking, but I’m not, and neither is Citroën, which says the car is intended for “local service companies, delivery services, tradesmen, craftsman, self-employed professionals, local authorities and administrations and even manufacturers.”
Citroën unveiled the car Wednesday, and said it has over nine cubic feet of storage space and a “useful volume” of over 14 cubic feet, for a payload of up to 308 pounds, with a partition to protect you from your cargo in the event of a crash. There are also various boxes and hacks you can use to customize the space, like making a mobile desk:
The modular shelf - serving as a cover and able to hold 40 kg in weight - is adapted on the upper side to form a real mobile desk. An A4-format cut-out has been created for placing documents such as delivery forms, an order book or a digital tablet. And a notch has been created at the rear to help hold items placed on this shelf. It is adjustable, and can be raised either towards the driver for better access to the storage area from the outside, or towards the passenger door in order to easily reach the contents of the box directly from the driver’s seat. The shelf is also removable, allowing you to store items that are higher than the height of the zone, and can then be placed easily behind the seat.
The flat floor can be adjusted to 2 levels. It can either be raised and locked vertically without obstructing the cargo zone, or can be lowered to a horizontal position flush with the rear floor of the vehicle. This latter position allows the user to carry longer objects with a useful length of 1.20 m. Pins are provided to hold tensioners or straps to secure more fragile items.
A closed storage box, in the rear area, has been designed to accommodate items that need to be secure, such as a smartphone or sunglasses. A button lets you open the upper portion.
You only need to be 14 to drive this in France, given that Amis are classified as light quadricycles there. I don’t know if this would be a great car to have in high school, given that there is no second seat, but I don’t think I would’ve turned it down at age 14 either. The range and top speed — 46 miles and 28 mph— is just enough to go somewhere and not enough to get into too much trouble.
And, like other Amis, Citroën says this one has heat. It starts at the equivalent of around $7,800 but, since this is Europe, is probably eligible for one or five different tax incentives. And, normally, this is the part where I would say that there is not a chance in hell you would ever encounter an Ami here in the States, except Stellantis apparently has a car sharing service that they are trying here, and some Amis might be coming to D.C. That is a future I can get behind.
