At just 2.5 m long, 1.5 m wide and equal in height, 425 kg in weight and a maximum speed limited to 45 km/h, the Citroen Ami One , the French brand's latest concept car, is legally classified as a quadricycle — which in some countries means it can be ridden without a license.
According to Citroën, the Ami One would serve as an alternative to public transport and other more individual means of transport, such as bicycles, scooters and even scooters. Electric, has autonomy for 100 km, enough for the short city commutes — charging takes no more than two hours when connected to a public charging station.
Despite its ultra-compact dimensions — shorter, narrower and lower than a Smart fortwo — it doesn't look fragile. In this “infested” SUV world, there was great concern for the Ami One to exude robustness and make us feel safe.
This was achieved through its cubic shape, large wheels (18″), verifying an approach to its design as if it were a tool prepared for intensive use. The combination of the vibrant orange color (Orange Mécanique) in contrast to the dark gray protective elements in the corners, extending under the doors, also contribute to the perception of safety and strength.
What's up with the doors?
One of the highlights of the Citroën Ami One is its doors that open in opposite directions (see picture above) — conventionally on the passenger side, “suicide” type on the driver's side.
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This is not a typical “show off” concept, but the result of pure pragmatism that was applied in the development of this prototype, with the objective of simplifying and reducing, resulting in lower production costs.
Like? Symmetry is the main factor in determining your design and style . Let's start with the aforementioned doors - they are identical on both sides, "a universal door" that can either be fitted on the right or left side, which forced the hinges to be positioned either at the front or at the back depending on the side - hence its inverted opening .
The symmetry present in the design of the Ami One doesn't stop there… (swipe in the gallery).
The mudguards also serve as a bumper. Two by two are identical diagonally — the front right corner is exactly the same as the rear left corner.
Keyword: reduce
If the exterior has already managed to significantly reduce the number of different parts or components to be manufactured, the interior is not far behind in the same reduction mission — recalling the same motivation behind the 2007 Cactus concept.
Door windows are either open or closed, they do not have electrical controls. The passenger seat does not even have to move longitudinally. Everything you'd expect to find inside a car seems to have been removed, except the essentials — not even an infotainment system exists.
To interact with the Ami One, in addition to the steering wheel and pedals, we need a smartphone with a specific app. All functionality — entertainment, navigation, even instrumentation — is only accessible via the mobile device.
There is a dedicated compartment in front of the driver to place it — integrated wireless charging. On its right we can see a cylinder that integrates the other physical controls: start button, transmission control, emergency button and a Bluetooth speaker with volume control.
The instrument panel appears in a head-up display, and all the rest of the interface is controlled via two buttons placed on the steering wheel — one of them for activating voice commands. Even to access the car, a smartphone is needed — a QR Code on the aluminum base of the door handles is the “lock” for opening or locking the car.
buy and share
According to Citroën, the Ami One is aimed at the youngest (16-30 years), precisely the market segment that is most reluctant to buy a car, despite the need for mobility.
Citroën does not rule out the possibility of, in a future scenario, being able to buy an Ami One, but more certain is vehicles of this type to be available as a car sharing service, that is, we have moved from the role of owners to users.
For the near future?
With the end of the PSA Toyota partnership in city dwellers, with the French side not having direct successors foreseen for the C1 and 108, Citroën questions the role of the A segment in a broader context, with the market's appetite for larger vehicles — crossover and B-segment SUV.
Could Ami One be a solution for the future of urban mobility? We will have to wait and see. For now, we will be able to see him at the Geneva Motor Show.
