Very small cars - the future of EV??

shinytop

jimbo6977 said:

BOWFER said:

jimbo6977 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

jimbo6977 said:

If you want a small 2 seat electric French "car" (actually a quadricycle for licensing and taxation purposes) then Aixam already make them. 

https://www.aixam.com/en/e-aixam-range

Except double the price and equally as compromised as the Citroen, making it even more pointless.

The Ami is a 4 wheeled scooter with the (total lack of) comfort or equipment that implies, whereas the Aixams are scaled down cars. 

If you live anywhere warm you might as well have a scooter as an Ami and save yourself EUR 5000.

If you live anywhere cold the Ami will be too uncomfortable and you'll buy a car, or maybe an Aixam. 

The Ami will be bought by what the French call "bobos" as a fashion accessory. 

Have you ever ridden a scooter/moped?
They're really not much fun, the lack of speed means you're bullied into the gutter.
Even as a motorcyclist myself I'd think twice about my daughter getting one.
The Ami though, far less concerning - be quite happy for her to get one at 15/16.
I imagine there'd be a healthy market for used ones, effectively 'passing them down' young users until they're old enough to get a full-size car.

I did used to use a moped/scooter at one time, the main downside was that it got nicked and smashed to bits. The Amis and Aixams are also limited to 28mph as "light quadricycles" (Aixam also make "heavy quadricycles" but not electric ones any more), so they will also be bullied about, especially with an inexperiences 16yo at the wheel. Of course a covered 4-wheeler is drier and more stable than a moped, but with no heater, in the UK it'll steam up something rotten for 8 months of the year and be unbearably cold for 4-6 months as well.  

The Ami is a bit extreme to be fair.  But an Aygo sized EV with 100 mile range at £12k would tempt me as a second car. 

BOWFER

shinytop said:

jimbo6977 said:

BOWFER said:

jimbo6977 said:

Grumpy_chap said:

jimbo6977 said:

If you want a small 2 seat electric French "car" (actually a quadricycle for licensing and taxation purposes) then Aixam already make them. 

https://www.aixam.com/en/e-aixam-range

Except double the price and equally as compromised as the Citroen, making it even more pointless.

The Ami is a 4 wheeled scooter with the (total lack of) comfort or equipment that implies, whereas the Aixams are scaled down cars. 

If you live anywhere warm you might as well have a scooter as an Ami and save yourself EUR 5000.

If you live anywhere cold the Ami will be too uncomfortable and you'll buy a car, or maybe an Aixam. 

The Ami will be bought by what the French call "bobos" as a fashion accessory. 

Have you ever ridden a scooter/moped?
They're really not much fun, the lack of speed means you're bullied into the gutter.
Even as a motorcyclist myself I'd think twice about my daughter getting one.
The Ami though, far less concerning - be quite happy for her to get one at 15/16.
I imagine there'd be a healthy market for used ones, effectively 'passing them down' young users until they're old enough to get a full-size car.

I did used to use a moped/scooter at one time, the main downside was that it got nicked and smashed to bits. The Amis and Aixams are also limited to 28mph as "light quadricycles" (Aixam also make "heavy quadricycles" but not electric ones any more), so they will also be bullied about, especially with an inexperiences 16yo at the wheel. Of course a covered 4-wheeler is drier and more stable than a moped, but with no heater, in the UK it'll steam up something rotten for 8 months of the year and be unbearably cold for 4-6 months as well.  

The Ami is a bit extreme to be fair.  But an Aygo sized EV with 100 mile range at £12k would tempt me as a second car. 

Electric Fiat 500 used for that no problem.
24KW battery in a car that light should get 100 miles.
Even the way I drive I get 3.5 miles per KW and that's in a larger body car.