Living in a crowded city with a large car has become somewhat unbearable these days because parking is becoming more and more difficult to find. Moreover, many cities around the globe are now prone to charging a congestion fee in order to deter people from driving their gas-guzzling cars into city centers.
If we also consider that many cities around the globe were designed before the era of cars, we can quickly conclude that city centers and large cities in general, aren’t car’s best friends. This created a market demand for micro city electric cars that can fit anywhere and don’t pollute at all, and as such eliminate all the drawbacks that are usually associated with driving a large car in a city.
The new Citroen AMI is making strides all across the globe because it promises to be a perfect urban car as it is cheap, small, intuitive, and easy to drive. However, the AMI is not the only car in this segment, and in this article, we are going to compare the new Citroën AMI electric vs similar EVs and tell you what you get with each.
For starters, we need to mention the Renault Twizzy which has been around for quite a while. Other impressive startup products such as the Sion are trying to reach the market as well. We will also mention the good old Smart EQ ForTwo which has been around for decades.
Citroen AMI
The Citroen AMI is technically not even a car, but rather a quadricycle which means that it can be driven by anyone older than 14 years of age. The AMI costs just €5,000 in Europe, it has a maximum speed of around 45kph/29mph, a range of 75km/46 miles and it can be charged from 0% to 100% through a regular home socket in a little over 3 hours.
The AMI is designed to be as simple as possible which means that it only has three buttons on the inside. It also comes with a dock/USB for your phone and a small Bluetooth speaker that can be taken out of the AMI if you so desire. All in all, the AMI is a perfect small pocket rocket for busy city centers.
Renault Twizy
With more than 30,000 units sold worldwide (mostly in Europe), the Renault Twizy is the undisputed champion in this segment, but that is primarily because it didn’t have too many rivals to compete with until now. The Twizy costs around €7,000-€8,000 and you need to pay extra if you want doors, yes you heard that right.
The good news is that the Twizy can last as much as 120KM/75 miles on a full charge and that it can reach a top speed of 45kmp/29mph which is exactly the same as Citroen AMI. The Twizy comes with a clever two-seat configuration and it feels more like a motorcycle than a car.
The Sion
If you want a futuristic micro city car experience, look no further than the Sion, a tiny city car that charges itself through solar panels located at the top. The Sion offers more space with four doors and a maximum range of about 300km/186 miles which places it at the very top of the pack. However, the Sion is going to set you back about €25,000 which is not a small price to pay.
You can recharge the Sion at a fast charger up to 80% in just 35 minutes which is a decent pace considering the car’s maximum range. With a 54kWh battery, the Sion manages to offer a battery larger than many Citroen family electric cars such as the e-C4 for example.
Smart EQ ForTwo
The Smart car company has been in the business of making tiny urban cars for a while now which means that they can also be considered pioneers in this segment. The most successful and longest-standing Smart model is the ForTwo which can also now be had with an electric powertrain. However, a Smart EQ ForTwo will set you back more than €20,000 as new.
With a 17kWh battery, the ForTwo can do around 100km/60 miles on a full charge and it can recharge itself from 20% to 80% in a little over 50 minutes. All in all, the Smart EQ ForTwo is somewhat of a legend in this segment, but it does cost a bit too much for what it offers.
FAQ Section
Are tiny city electric cars worth it?
Financially speaking, a tiny city car is the best type of car you can buy because it will cost you only a fraction of what you’d have to pay for something larger. These cars are fast enough, they offer a decent range, and they are really easy to park and drive in even the busiest city centers out there.
You can leave them parked without worrying they are going to be stolen as they do come with various safety equipment. If you live in a busy city and you need a commuter car, a tiny city car such as the Ami or the Twizy is likely the best thing you can go get right now.
Are small city electric cars the future?
For the past decade or so, we’ve seen a strong decline in the production of cars with large engines and large cars in general. People are turning towards SUVs and crossovers, and clever space management is becoming more important than the actual size.
If you pair that with the ever-increasing costs of living in a city, you can immediately see why these tiny cars make perfect sense. They don’t pollute as much, they don’t cost as much, they are easy to live with, easy to park, easy to insure, and easy to drive.
How popular are tiny city electric cars?
Tiny city electric cars are becoming more and more popular by the day, especially these days when fuel prices are really starting to kick off. Cities are becoming increasingly more crowded and parking is becoming ever more difficult to find.
Even though they weren’t popular at all about a decade ago, it seems like the tide is turning and that these small electric city cars are becoming really popular lately, especially in Europe.
