The fastest buyer was from Spain and only needed 70 seconds to secure his copy. That sounds like exclusive sneakers or tickets to a concert by a world-famous band on a farewell tour. In fact, the object of desire was an electric cube on four wheels: the Citroën Ami Buggy II. After the 50 units of the first edition were sold out after a short time, the French car manufacturer has now added a total of 1,000 models, of which 800 were sold online and 200 through special dealers.
The result was similar. After ten hours the beach cubes were sold out. The 430 buggies for France were sold out after two hours and in Belgium the 65 buggies were gone after nine minutes. The question is: What causes people to snatch a mini electric car out of Citroën’s hands that only goes 45 km/h, has next to no comfort, but costs an impressive 10,490 euros? The answer is simple: the coolness factor. Because the Citroën Ami Buggy far surpasses the series Ami and the Opel Rocks-e in terms of charisma. The only vehicle from the Mini-E trio that can keep up with the charisma is the Fiat Topolino. Its southern charm will also put people in a good mood in Germany from the end of the year.
This means that the iron Opel front has actually already softened. Actually, the Stellantis corporate rationale dictates that Germany is Opel Rocks-e-Land. The Italians apparently don’t care much about this. So it shouldn’t be long before the self-confident French appear on the right side of the Rhine with the Americans. Those responsible are still ironing out all questions and referring to the existing regulations.
Back to the Ami Buggy II. The E-Cube is only available in one color: Khaki. Fits. The yellow accents give the little one the necessary pizzazz. Instead of doors, classic Jeep bars are latched in and instead of glass or sheet metal, a transparent plastic curtain protects the occupants from the harshness of nature. The roll-up fabric roof fits this Ami. Because the beach in Nice or Barcelona is the natural habitat for the E-cube. If the Vespa or bicycle is not enough to transport the sun-hungry residents’ utensils or you want to go to the sea in a more relaxed way as a couple, then jump into the Ami buggy and let the sun and air caress your skin on the way.
With a maximum speed of 45 km/h, a normal driving license or one of class AM, which young people aged 15 and over can get, is sufficient. So the little Frenchman is a real family friend and the Filius can pick up his parents or his first love from the beach. The 5.5 kilowatt-hour battery can travel around 70 kilometers and the batteries are refilled after around four hours using a normal Schuko socket.
We are sitting behind the wheel of the Citroën Ami Buggy II in summer temperatures. In front of us is the steering wheel with the small yellow bag on the impact pot in which you can keep change, keys or other bits and bobs. The monochrome digital instrument in front of us has a new scoop that is intended to exude a retro feel. But that doesn’t change the fact that the displays aren’t particularly easy to read in the blazing sun. Hey, these are little things. Fun counts here. The roof is rolled up, the French sun is at its best and we roll off.
The buggy’s electric motor hums at a high frequency like an X-wing fighter from the Star Wars films. But the speed of light thing doesn’t really work yet. No matter, we stroll through a small village and we meet smiling people everywhere. The beach cube is a popular figure. We enjoy the sun tour. Comfort is not the strength of the Citroën Ami Buggy. But on the Cote d’Azur with its crowded streets and always full parking spaces, this vehicle is at the forefront. So if you have a holiday home in the south, you should quickly look for a copy on the relevant portals. It couldn’t be more casual. However, it might be difficult to get hold of an Ami Buggy II. Maybe Citroën will launch another small series. It would be exciting to see whether the 60-second mark until the first sale is beaten this time.
