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I dunno, lots of towns and cities have 40mph or even 50mph roads.
Clydeside expressway comes to mind, as does the M8/74.
I’m sure they do. Ours doesn’t. It’s pretty much 30mph if not 20th from all of the city boundaries. It’s Bath, in case you were wondering.
As a city, it's not comparable to the likes of Manchester, Glasgow or Leeds, they are built very differently. Edinburgh is probably closer as they never blasted a motorway through the middle.
I like it quite a bit, needs luggage space tho.
Just reading the Top Gear review which says the charging port is in the door frame and you have to leave the car door open to charge it. Unbelievable!
Just looked at the photo posted a few down from this, and its worse than just TopGear being Top Gear.
it LOOKS like a really neat bit of design. Very french. The door closes on the plug, which presumably is the mechanism for ensuring it isnt unplugged! save yourself a load of components, cost and complexity just by being a bit smarter.
My 206 had the electric window switches in the centre console, rather than in the door. Half the number of switches and no additional switch required for the driver to be able to operate the passenger window.
As a city, it’s not comparable to the likes of Manchester, Glasgow or Leeds, they are built very differently.
I'm not sure I ever said it was.
I'm slightly mystified at the number of people here trying to demonstrate I'm "wrong", as if it's some kind of 'gotcha'; as I've (repeatedly) explained, what works for us may not work for everyone else, but for our particular circumstances, and subject to confirmation as to pricing etc, we think it will work for our specific situation.
That doesn't mean I'm suggesting everyone should have one, or it should replace your STW-standard Audi estate/Skoda VRS etc, or that you should try razzing one up the fast lane of the M4 etc etc.
If anything, I've have thought a cyclist-orientated forum would be happier with the idea of smaller, slower urban vehicles on the roads.
As for neigh sayers, over 10k people have put deposits down. That would suggest that there is a market for them in the UK as they are.
Though the deposit system is fully refundable, so it'll be interesting who actually follows through. As I mention above, the main issue for me ATM is a total absence of any information about pricing. If there was even a hint about how they intend to finance these things, I could make a decision one way or the other, but their website has been saying "information coming soon" for over six months now.
I’m slightly mystified at the number of people here trying to demonstrate I’m “wrong”, as if it’s some kind of ‘gotcha’; as I’ve (repeatedly) explained, what works for us may not work for everyone else, but for our particular circumstances, and subject to confirmation as to pricing etc, we think it will work for our specific situation.
You are clearly not wrong as it fits exactly what you want to do (albeit still having a petrol car for when you go on roads above 30mph)
My point is that it would be a MUCH better option if it wasn't limited to 28mph for MOST people so it will never be successful.
I’m slightly mystified at the number of people here trying to demonstrate I’m “wrong”, as if it’s some kind of ‘gotcha’;
Same blokes leaving comments for adverts for the new range of electric vans.
"I drive a thousand miles a day, carrying life saving hearts that also weigh 2 tons and live in a 4th floor flat with no parking facilities, therefore this van is pointless and should be banned"~
The gov should be looking at adding a class to our licensing system to facilitate these, and make them as attractive as possible. Basically sans permis, or roll it into the scooter/moped CBT class.
They could then go a step further and apply this new class to UberULEZ (ie, youre only allowed in to the UberULEZ in this new "city friendly" class.
As I mention above, the main issue for me ATM is a total absence of any information about pricing.
It's been leaked that the pricing will be available by end of Feb but more likely this month, first delivery is now expected for June.
My point is that it would be a MUCH better option if it wasn’t limited to 28mph for MOST people so it will never be successful.
But then it would be a different vehicle, and cirtainly more expensive to produce and buy. As I said earlier even the de-restricted ones only go 10kph faster! The point is it's <span style="text-decoration: underline;">not</span> a vehicle for most people, it's a niche vehicle for some people, and one that no other mainstream manufacturer is producing at the moment.
I'd love our gov to get their act in gear and start looking at electric vehicles like heavy quadricycles, scooters etc which Europe now seem to be ahead of us on. Unfortunately our restrictions & calcifications seems to be what limits the Ami.
so it will never be successful
How do you define success here?
I drive a thousand miles a day, carrying life saving hearts that also weigh 2 tons
He's a liar or breaking the law:
https://www.vansdirect.co.uk/van-driving-hours-law/
There aren't many Amis around even here and the ones I've seen are driven by people conforming to young student or lost their license sterotypes. Nice concept for big city commuters for whom public transport isn't practical.
I see the gwizz took off and is every where.
The G-Whiz was popular in London at the time as it was the only viable electric car - congestion charge exempt, plenty of parts of London did free parking and charging too, so it made sense for some despite the car's flaws.
Once the Nissan Leaf launched in 2011 and you could have a proper roomy family hatchback with 5 human sized seats and a boot, you saw fewer and fewer G-Whiz on London's roads.
The Ami looks fun but it'll sell in tiny numbers here, much like the Twizy.
How do you define success here?
A car that would sell in large numbers and be purchased instead of a used petrol car for the many, many people that don't drive more than 50 miles per days and don't drive on motorways.
The Ami will be successful if it fills its niche, at least in the current capitalist climate.
I’m not sure I ever said it was.
I’m slightly mystified at the number of people here trying to demonstrate I’m “wrong”, as if it’s some kind of ‘gotcha’; as I’ve (repeatedly) explained, what works for us may not work for everyone else, but for our particular circumstances, and subject to confirmation as to pricing etc, we think it will work for our specific situation.
As Kerley says nobody is saying you're wrong, I was just demonstrating why your use case is completely different from someone living in the other cities I mentioned. If anything I was demonstrating why your use case is more viable than someone else's, or at least that's what I thought. Apologies if it came across otherwise.
If anything, I’ve have thought a cyclist-orientated forum would be happier with the idea of smaller, slower urban vehicles on the roads.
I am, but I'd be even happier if there were less urban vehicles full stop. I appreciate these are a very different proposition to your average car or moped though.
He’s a liar or breaking the law:
Holy sarcasm bypass Batman!
We didn’t ‘design’ society around that at all (the Americans did though) – ours evolved
Hence the ‘irony quotes’.
I don't really disagree with you otherwise. Although UK transport infra was/is reshaped in a very similar way to how the US societal model was shaped. This included the partial demolition of (and for decades a complete lack of planning for) traditional multimodal transport. Don’t forget, over 8000 miles of railway taken up. Much of it sold off so will never be recommissioned. Beeching alone closed 2,363 railway stations. My dream as a weird kid/Human Powered Vehicles enthusiast was one of recommissioned branch lines serving and invigorating rural-British communities, alongside (or in place of) which would be a cycle path and extra links to smaller communities. My current reimagining would be much the same yet with the cycle-path also accommodating e-bikes and trikes of all descriptions (including cargo and taxi). Dedicated train carriages will also carry these.
Anything for more connected, more relaxing, more engaging, less expensive, less dangerous and less-polluting options than 100 % asphalt and amnesia. I have a dream 🙂
But then realised that we are still ‘evolving’:
A car that would sell in large numbers and be purchased instead of a used petrol car for the many, many people that don’t drive more than 50 miles per days and don’t drive on motorways.
I'd say we are still at least 10yrs away from that, & I would suspect the vast majority of people will continue to buy 2nd hand combustion engine cars for a further 5 to 10years + after that unless some very serious legislation is introduced
The Ami is here to fill a niche, & Citroen know it. They didn't release it here straight away, even then it's taken over 10k X £250 deposits for them to even confirm it will come to the UK. It's an experiment, I don't understand why people are so negative about something that they will never buy (at least for now).
I’d say we are still at least 10yrs away from that, & I would suspect the vast majority of people will continue to buy 2nd hand combustion engine cars for a further 5 to 10years + after that unless some very serious legislation is introduced
Agree that we are probably 10 years away from it but that is because there is no alternative for anyone that buys cars around the £5k - £10k price. Not everyone want to spend £25K on a car but that is the choice you have if you want an EV
It feels like the Ami, and other electric motorbikes and cars, is the start of something. Rewind back to gWizz, C5 and others, they were premature in time and technology. I do think that we are about to see a shift in how people get around, how expensive 'full size, big enough for biking at the weekend in Wales' vehicles are etc etc.
They really are not for everyone, they are flawed and limited in ability, but for a niche of people they are perfect.
My dad currently has a (tiny) Suziki petrol camper van. At most he does a 2-5 mile journey, a few times a week for a supermarket, church and the community garden, occasionally to my sisters house for tea. 99% of the time it is him and a shopping bag or bag of bulbs for the garden. He has under-cover storage and the housing association are just installing a few charging points in the car park of his sheltered flat complex. He can go on faster roads, but all his journey's are within a 30mph zone without any 'cost' in time really. An Ami, ideally with heater, is utterly perfect. Even more perfect would be his sheltered housing complex having half a dozen of them available as a car club for the 120+ residents.
Although UK transport infra was/is reshaped in a very similar way to how the US societal model was shaped. This included the partial demolition of (and for decades a complete lack of planning for) traditional multimodal transport.
Yes but we're nowhere near as far down that road as the US is.
that is because there is no alternative for anyone that buys cars around the £5k – £10k price
There is used. At that price you can get much more range, enough speed for any road, four or five seats and plenty of room for your shopping and dog etc. Or you could when I looked.
My dream as a weird kid/Human Powered Vehicles enthusiast was one of recommissioned branch lines
Same, I'd love to see the lines in Wales put back in as it would completely change how you get about the country and open up loads more places as viable living/working locations for someone like me who WFHs but with travel.
I've just been thinking about this - is this the start of the eKei car in the UK?
Kei make so much sense in Japan because of thier laws. The UK is edging in laws/cost/culture for a few.
Small and electric = win.?
is this the start of the eKei car in the UK
Hope so, Kei makes so much sense.
Here’s hoping for a Dacia spring launching in UK.
Ditto.
I think the Twizzy has trailblazed many of the issue the Ami faces in the UK; more limited top speed and range than people are used to (not necessarily less than they actually need), it's got doors at least.
But as already noted we've become a very Car-centric society that is used to the "contingencies" an ICE powered car allows, day to day range and top speed requirements exceed lots of people's real life use cases. I know for a fact that my missus could make use of something like and Ami, but wouldn't even consider it "just in case".
The Spring, being more of a Car than a Quadracycle probably strikes the balance better in order to make inroads with the UK market, you could get by on an A-road or DC with it, you could do an extra Urban Commute of ~ 40-50 miles (and back) with it.
But Yeah the use case is basically replacement of all those Aygo' and Citroen C1s that typically do about 10-25 miles a day and seldom leave town, but owners will always consider the edge-case as a necessity... the 'Spring' would probably work for them where the Ami is just that wee bit less attractive...
squirrelking
Free Memberis this the start of the eKei car in the UK
Hope so, Kei makes so much sense.
It’ll have to be a eKei SUV thou 🙂
I think the spring is the one the U.K. will go for,although going by euro prices it’s 3-4ishx the price of an ami.
I think of the ami as a more practical step up from a moped, I could see my mum zipping to to the shops in an ami whereas there would be no chance she’d ride a moped and the uptake of ULEZones and the fact that cheap cars aren’t looking like a thing nowadays and not everyone wants to take a bus especially in covid times.
The U.K. actually warmed to the Smart after all the initial novelty value.(although I think they were always pricey)
I think of the ami as a more practical step up from a moped, I could see my mum zipping to to the shops in an ami whereas there would be no chance she’d ride a moped
My issue with comparing it to a moped is the licencing. If it's licensed/insured effectively as a car, which it is, people just buy a 2nd hand car for.the same money. If, it could be driven on a CBT as first advertised, it would have a fair old chunk of the moped market.
In the UK the Ami makes excellent sense as a delivery or short hop higher vehicle for city's, but less as a car replacement, unless your willing to have some big compromises.
So pricing has..... Finally...... Been released !!!
Looking at the FB UK Ami group page lots of people pulling there deposits, but still quite a few placing orders. Current delivery estimate is September this year (cirtainly different to the original 'Spring 2022') but most are expecting a Christmas or early 2023 delivery day.
Glad I pulled my deposit early now and went with a 💩📦 van for less than a grand.
😳 double the cost it needs to be to make a difference.
That's a shame.
It seems the cost difference between UK and Europe is down to the differences of each countries EV grants and also the big Brexit word is being banded about.
Originally, when I put a deposit down the base model was being labeled as starting from 5.5k, a 2k jump to 7.5k on release doesn't seem like much but that's a 36% jump - which puts it in a whole different league in my book.
To be fair prices have also jumped up across Europe.
The price of almost everything except strawberries is rising and in some cases rising fast. Building steel is the most impressive I've seen with prices incresing 40% from one delivery to the next.
I suspect there's some currency hedging in that price. I predict the Pound to be under pressure over the next fex years.
I'm quite astonished at the price increase. Another thing to thank our glorious leaders for...
Has anyone who's interested had the chance to see one in the flesh yet? We've called around our local dealers and none has any idea when they might be coming in.
Is that £7500 after the £1500 grant?
Daffy
Is that £7500 after the £1500 grant?
I may be wrong, but I don't think it qualifies for the grant as it isn't a 'car', it's a quadricycle.
It doesn't qualify for the UK gov grant - hence the price. It's about 5000euros in Spain with a gov grant.
There won't be any in dealers until September at the earliest and even the n they'll be preorder customers cars - general public release will follow. There's a few imports and Citroen promo vehicles in the UK at the moment and that's about it. None available for test drive to general public though.
There won’t be any in dealers until September at the earliest and even the n they’ll be preorder customers cars – general public release will follow.
It's very irritating - we put the deposit down when it was announced but we really need to see one in the flesh before committing to an order. It's a really odd way to release a new 'car'!
Saw my first one 'in the flesh' a couple of weeks ago when we were on our hols in Turkey. Very cute. As mentioned above it's a bit like the Twizy in that it doesn't qualify for the plugged in car grant cos it's not a car. So seems expensive for what it is - but like the Twizy will appeal to folk who want to wrap it and use it for advertising etc. Cheaper than the cheapest new small cars these days - as the Aygo/C1/107 went out of production earlier this year, and the cheapest Sandero is now £13,500. Who remembers when they were £5,995?
So unless there's a stunning £100/month finance deal (which I would doubt, residuals were poor on the Twizy) I have a feeling that the folk that should be interested in it will be more interested in a used C1 for similar money.
Meh, they released a limited version of that Buggy Concept, only 50 available only in France,sold out in 18 mins 🙂
I like the opening roof and the bar instead of the door.
That buggy's cool but it wouldn't last 5 minutes round here before some knob end pissed in it or tried to nick it. Or pissed in in then tried to nick it.