Electric car that does not need licence to be sold in France
The vehicle, which has a maximum speed of 45 kph and can be driven without a permit by people aged 14 and over, will be sold by retailers Fnac and Darty.
The Citroën AMI has already sold 500 units in France since it became available to order on May 11.
It will now be available to purchase in France from book and media store Fnac and household electrical store Darty.
The car is 100% electric and measures only 2.41 metres long. It can be driven without a driving licence, by those aged 14 and over
Read more: Macron promises up to €12,000 to buy eco cars
The Ami, joins the Renault Twizy in the sans-permis category of electric vehicles.
The Twizy sells for €7,540 in its low-power version with a five horsepower motor, available to people without a driver's licence, to which must be added a €45 monthly charge for the battery. It has a top speed of 45 km/hr.
Without battery hire, the Twizy45 starts at €10,000. A €900 government bonus to encourage people to use electric vehicles can be taken off the price for most buyers.
A more powerful 15 horsepower version, able to travel at 80kph, with a 15 horsepower motor sells for €8,240 in its base version with battery hire costing €49 a month. When the battery is included its price is €10,700, and this version, for which a driving licence is required, also gets a €900 bonus for most people.
The Renault Twizy is also used by various electric-car mobility schemes, including the Moov’in scheme in Paris operated by Renault and ADE.
Read more: Electric car sales in France charging ahead
Fnac and Darty better-known for selling household items
French retailer Fnac is better known for selling cultural goods such as books, music, and tickets for events, as well as electronics such as cameras and televisions. Darty, meanwhile, primarily sells consumer electronics such as household appliances and telecommunications products.
The two retailers are part of the Fnac Darty group. In a statement they said they aimed to “step up” their presence in the urban mobility market by selling the electric car.
Oliver Garcia, product director at Fnac Darty, said: “Electric mobility is a significant new market that is very dynamic. We have seen this with electric scooters. Last year more than 400,000 electric scooters were sold in France.”
A statement released by Citroën said that selling the AMI in Fnac and Darty was a move to “reinvent the codes of normal distribution and meet the needs of consumers looking for new mobility solutions that are responsible and adapted to urban environments".
Electric car for ‘urban mobility’
The car has been on display in 39 stores in Paris (Ile-de-France), Lyon (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) and Bordeaux (Nouvelle-Aquitaine) since June 15.
From mid-July, customers will be able to test drive the car in Fnac and Darty stores, by appointment.
The Citroën AMI will retail at €6,900 or €19.99 per month for long-term rental over two years.
Related stories
New rules for electric car conversions revealed
Minister in favour of dropping French motorway speed limit
How French posties and an app drive fuel efficiency
