Very small cars - the future of EV??

k6chris

I have fallen in love with the Citroen Ami, a tiny, cheap and low range EV which would suit 90% of my journeys, albeit only about 50% of my mileage. Am I completely misguided or is the segment likely to catch on and grow??

fred990

Cool, exactly the kind of car that I'd be looking for. Perfect for when no huge suv types are allowed nor 'ludicrous performance' ones either. HGV's will have to be off the roads too. 

In the meantime we'll stick to conventional estate types until they conk out. 

Grumpy_chap

The idea of a small economic car for most of the time and then hire a car for other journeys warranting a larger car could well be a sound approach.

The devil will be in the detail.

shinytop

fred990 said:

Cool, exactly the kind of car that I'd be looking for. Perfect for when no huge suv types are allowed nor 'ludicrous performance' ones either. HGV's will have to be off the roads too. 

In the meantime we'll stick to conventional estate types until they conk out. 

I agree. EVs to date are simply replicating their ICE predecessors.  The EV evengelists continuallly repeat that nobody needs a 400 mile range all the time, 90% of journeys less than X miles, etc. .  Well nobody needs a 5 seat 2.5 tonne SUV that can do 0-60 in 5 seconds all of the time either. 

I hope this sort of thing does catch on and that uneccessarily big EVs are taxed more so they do.  

Advocado

k6chris said:

I have fallen in love with the Citroen Ami, a tiny, cheap and low range EV which would suit 90% of my journeys, albeit only about 50% of my mileage. Am I completely misguided or is the segment likely to catch on and grow??

Tiny, cheap, two-seater cars have been around for decades.

They've never really caught-on so don't know why you think they would now.

shinytop

Advocado said:

k6chris said:

I have fallen in love with the Citroen Ami, a tiny, cheap and low range EV which would suit 90% of my journeys, albeit only about 50% of my mileage. Am I completely misguided or is the segment likely to catch on and grow??

Tiny, cheap, two-seater cars have been around for decades.

They've never really caught-on so don't know why you think they would now.

So have electric cars, heat pumps and wind turbines. Don't you read the news?

knightstyle

Tiny cheap cars do not do well in a crash!  Better to get a proper electric car that has been tested Euro NCAP.
There was a pic of a Twizzy that had been in a small collision and it was crushed.

Advocado

shinytop said:

Advocado said:

k6chris said:

I have fallen in love with the Citroen Ami, a tiny, cheap and low range EV which would suit 90% of my journeys, albeit only about 50% of my mileage. Am I completely misguided or is the segment likely to catch on and grow??

Tiny, cheap, two-seater cars have been around for decades.

They've never really caught-on so don't know why you think they would now.

So have electric cars, heat pumps and wind turbines. Don't you read the news?

I'm not sure I understand your point.  You think they'll catch-on because they're better for the environment?

Is the Ami better for the environment than an iD3/iD4/Tesla etc.?  People primarily buy a car that suits their needs.  Small two seaters that can't take a family and are no good for going at faster speeds/longer journeys will never catch-on.  They'll remain very niche.

fred990

knightstyle said:

Tiny cheap cars do not do well in a crash!  Better to get a proper electric car that has been tested Euro NCAP.
There was a pic of a Twizzy that had been in a small collision and it was crushed.

Indeed and that's why I won't buy one until the code red emergency only allows small lightweight electric cars. When the arms race for bigger heavy electric cars has been stopped I'm in!

shinytop

Advocado said:

shinytop said:

Advocado said:

k6chris said:

I have fallen in love with the Citroen Ami, a tiny, cheap and low range EV which would suit 90% of my journeys, albeit only about 50% of my mileage. Am I completely misguided or is the segment likely to catch on and grow??

Tiny, cheap, two-seater cars have been around for decades.

They've never really caught-on so don't know why you think they would now.

So have electric cars, heat pumps and wind turbines. Don't you read the news?

I'm not sure I understand your point.  You think they'll catch-on because they're better for the environment?

Is the Ami better for the environment than an iD3/iD4/Tesla etc.?  People primarily buy a car that suits their needs.  Small two seaters that can't take a family and are no good for going at faster speeds/longer journeys will never catch-on.  They'll remain very niche.

I don't know for sure but on the balance of probability, yes.     

fred990

I wonder if the Citroen Ami will have the battery lease catch that the Twizzy has? You can buy a twizzy but not the battery! 

Roll on the day when you can easily diy change a few duff/weak cell packs.