Very small cars - the future of EV??

BOWFER

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.

I think this is missing the point a little.
They're meant to be pure town runabouts, for people who would otherwise cycle etc.
In that respect, I'm not sure crash protection is all 'that' important at all.
It's not meant to be a 'full blown car' and shouldn't be expected to behave as such.

ontheroad1970

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.

A friend of mine was driving his Mustang (proper Mustang, not the E) he had a head-on collision with a smart for 2.  Mustang was in a far worse state than the smart car, and the driver of the smart car was completely uninjured.  My friend had compound fractures.

NBLondon

BOWFER said:

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.

I think this is missing the point a little.
They're meant to be pure town runabouts, for people who would otherwise cycle etc.
In that respect, I'm not sure crash protection is all 'that' important at all.
It's not meant to be a 'full blown car' and shouldn't be expected to behave as such.

I get where you're coming from Bowfer, but surely people who would otherwise cycle - would cycle?  It's for distances that people might cycle but can't or won't.   If most journeys are like that - say 2 to 3 miles with one passenger, not much luggage/shopping - then it works as long as you can charge.  In fact, it may well be the good solution for urban car clubs if there are enough charging points at the popular locations - book it, grab one and go as is done with bikes already.

One group of people who are very big on crash protection are parents though.  The parents who tell themselves they need a big SUV to protect their precious cargo as they ferry kids and pushchairs and bikes around. Often quite short distances because of the convenience.  How do they go electric?

Ibrahim5

Maybe the Sinclair C5 could return?

facade

fred990 said:

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

In America Land it is quite a common DIY thing, you just mail order the cells and fit them.  People buy a prius with a duff battery for peanuts, and swap the battery out with a kit. 

Mind you, the cells in the duff battery have all leaked you wouldn't change one or two, maybe they have good battery management, and the whole lot expire together.

[Deleted User]

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??

Uh... They say they are bringing the left-hand drive version over. Hopefully they offer it in a better paint scheme than that!

I'm not sure this kind of car will catch on. Aside from anything else it doesn't look very safe. Most cars use the engine bay/front storage area as a crumple zone, for example.

BOWFER

[Deleted User] 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??

Uh... They say they are bringing the left-hand drive version over. Hopefully they offer it in a better paint scheme than that!

I'm not sure this kind of car will catch on. Aside from anything else it doesn't look very safe. Most cars use the engine bay/front storage area as a crumple zone, for example.

for the use envisaged, I don't think it has to be particularly crash resistant.
Low speed, very short journey use.
You don't need a tank in these scenarios.

BOWFER

NBLondon said:

BOWFER said:

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.

I think this is missing the point a little.
They're meant to be pure town runabouts, for people who would otherwise cycle etc.
In that respect, I'm not sure crash protection is all 'that' important at all.
It's not meant to be a 'full blown car' and shouldn't be expected to behave as such.

I get where you're coming from Bowfer, but surely people who would otherwise cycle - would cycle?  It's for distances that people might cycle but can't or won't.   If most journeys are like that - say 2 to 3 miles with one passenger, not much luggage/shopping - then it works as long as you can charge.  In fact, it may well be the good solution for urban car clubs if there are enough charging points at the popular locations - book it, grab one and go as is done with bikes already.

One group of people who are very big on crash protection are parents though.  The parents who tell themselves they need a big SUV to protect their precious cargo as they ferry kids and pushchairs and bikes around. Often quite short distances because of the convenience.  How do they go electric?

Yeah, urban car clubs and student campuses are some of the expected uses of it.
TBH I think if they made the top speed a wee bit more than 28mph it would open its use up a wee bit more.
28mph is just going to be a pain in the !!!!!!.
People will cite the likes of London having an average traffic speed 12mph, but that doesn't make 28mph acceptable.
I've spent a fair but of time in central London lately and 28mph is not going to cut it....they're going to be gutter material.

Grumpy_chap

The press release linked by the OP states that the Ami will be in the UK as left-hand drive, yet the Citroen website shows at least one photo of a right-hand drive:
https://www.citroen.co.uk/models/future-models/ami.html



The 28 mph limit is discouraging IMO - at least 40 mph would make it far more versatile.  Maybe the speed restriction is because the press release suggests it will not be classed as a car:
https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/citroen/351749/ps6k-citroen-ami-electric-city-car-gets-green-light-uk

daveyjp

That photo is flipped.  Look at the globe on the box!