Citroen's Ami compact electric car will be sold by Opel under the name Rock-e.
On Wednesday, Opel unveiled its own version of the Ami, an electric minicar developed independently of Citroën under the same Sterantis brand. Opel calls this version the "Rocks-e" and will begin offering the two-seat car this fall.
No price has been announced yet, but it should be close to the 6,900 euros ($8,100) that Citroen is offering for the Ami. Inexpensive leasing is also part of the equation, with Opel planning lease prices similar to the cost of a monthly public transportation ticket. [It's a small car, 7.9 feet long, with a top speed of 28 mph, a 5.5 kWh battery and 43 miles of range. In Opel's home country of Germany, the car is classified as a light four-wheeled vehicle and can be driven from the age of 15, although a license is required.
An interesting design feature of the Ami and Rocks-e is the built-in battery pack, about 10 feet long, which is permanently installed in the car. It can be removed through the passenger door if necessary. It takes about 3.5 hours to charge from a standard electrical outlet. Public charging stations require an adapter.
The cabin has room for two people and nothing else is needed. The driver is offered a steering wheel and digital instrument cluster (shows gear, speed, and battery status), and to the right of it is a dedicated area for a smartphone, which is the main dashboard screen, providing access to navigation and music.
Are cars like the Ami and Rocks-e the future of urban driving? At least in Europe, where many cities have introduced 18 mph speed limits and bike lanes, they are likely to be. The small size and ability to turn around in less than 24 feet makes it easy to park in tight spaces. [Opel, known in the UK as Vauxhall, intends to introduce a full lineup of electric vehicles to its core European market by 2028.
Note that the Ami model is also destined for the US. Free2Move, the mobility brand of Sterantis, announced in May that it would add several Ami to its Washington, D.C. fleet.
