Welcomed and acclaimed as a real ally in urban mobility, Citroën Ami has to contend with some defect of youth. Nothing strange, actually: it happens to most of the new electric cars, whose gestation is never without hitches and often reserves unknowns that are resolved only when production has already started. That’s what happened to small battery-powered microcar from beyond the Alps, presented with great fanfare by Citroën and now at the center of much controversy. Especially at home, where on Clean Automobile, a website specializing in ecological cars, a long article has appeared that analyzes the defects of the AMI.
The Facebook page has also sprung up in France “Citroën Ami: delivery problems & more”, created by two users, Myriam and Sabine. The latter, in particular, ordered an Ami and had to collect it on 5 October. But the car, for now, no news and the dealership does not know how to help. According to the latest updates from beyond the Alps, the delays in deliveries would be due to production problems at the Kenitra plant in Morocco, where the Ami is built. The Coronavirus pandemic has sent factories and suppliers into a tailspin, causing delays of ten weeks on the delivery schedule. Provided that in the meantime the problems encountered by the logistics company that deals with the shipment of the cars at the port of Le Havre. Otherwise the delays could also increase.
Returning to the article of Clean Automobile, it turns out that the lucky few who have already received it are not entirely satisfied. The microcar on tap, which you can drive from the age of 14, in fact, allegedly accused several youth problems that have already been reported by customers to the parent company. The article talks about “defective locks, doors that no longer close due to an accumulation of dirt ” and even of “Infiltration in case of rain”. The French site also mentions failures to the hand brake and rear brakes. Finally, some customers would also complain about a on-board charger malfunction. Citroën, for now, can only monitor the situation, confident that customers will forgive the small inconveniences of the new born and will give the parent company and dealerships time to perfect the Ami. But it will still take some patience: the auto sector is facing a very heavy crisis, even worse of that of the 2008. We must take this into account and greet with a smile the arrival of machines like the Citroën Ami. Which, in its small way, has already left its mark. And it will go out of its way to inspire a possible change, helping motorists to see urban mobility with new eyes.
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