There are many ways to travel around cities in 2019. Bike shares. Taxis. Metro. Electric scooters.
French car company Citroen has developed a new way: an ultra-compact electric car designed to be driven by people who don’t have a license.
The Ami One concept, outlined in design magazine Dezeen, has a top speed of 28 miles per hour. It aims to become the perfect rainy-day alternative to traversing the city on a bike or scooter.
The car is zero-emission, available for up to five hours at a time through an on-demand app. It can be charged at home or in public charging stations.
And, as it’s so slow, Citroen believes that European customers could drive the car from the age of 16.
A prototype was developed for a test drive at the Geneva Motor Show back in March. It has a folding roof, allowing drivers to ride open-top if they want. The interiors are blue, and the driver’s side door swings open on a rear hinge. The seats are arranged asymmetrically, with the passenger seat fixed into position at the back of the cabin—and the driver’s seat able to slide forward.
Once inside the cabin, the driver docks their phone into a wireless induction charging station. A screen is projected onto a panel in the driver’s field of vision, enabling them to see the navigation and driving instruments.
“Since 1919, Citroën’s history has always reflected its times with non-conformist and revolutionary vehicles that have become icons in the hearts of motorists,” the company said, as quoted in Dezeen.
“As the 2CV made freedom of movement broadly accessible, Ami One Concept frees up urban mobility for everyone with its unique and popular character advocating a new experience.”
The site adds that the car will looked different to other entrants at the motor show, which has hosted Airbus’ flying car and Aston Martin’s ‘cashmere and silk’ Lagonda Vision.
