An electric car with a top speed of just 28mph - and which can be driven in France by anyone over the age of 14 without a licence - is to be sold in the UK.

The order books have now opened for drivers keen to get their hands on the miniature electric quadricycle the Citroen Ami.

Due to 'unprecedented customer demand' says Citroen, the Ami will now be made available for UK motorists, despite initial plans to not bring the car here.

Designed for France’s ‘voiture sans permis’ regulations, which are vehicles that anyone over the age of 14 can drive even without a licence, the Ami is expected to cost in the region of £5,000.

A full driving licence, however, will be required to drive it in the UK.

The Ami has an electric motor with a 5.5kWh battery that can be recharged in three hours which gives it a 46-mile range with a top speed of 28mph.

It’s just 2.41m long and has a tight turning circle, making it ideal, says the French car maker, for busy urban driving. While its somewhat quirky look is in-part down to the fact the body panels are the same left and right, front and rear, making it less expensive to repair.

The interior is basic, but the vehicle has heating and somewhere to hold your phone with a small amount of storage for carrying smaller items.

And with zero emissions it’s exempt from London’s Congestion Charge and Ultra Low Emission Zone fees, and will not face charges in future Clean Air Zones in other cities either.

Eurig Druce, managing director of Citroen UK, said: “I am absolutely delighted to announce that Citroen Ami is launching in the UK. With cities and urban areas introducing stricter limits for vehicles, and people demanding new mobility solutions, Ami shows once again how Citroën is adapting to meet the demands of the times.”

Customers can to be one of the first to own a Citroen Ami can now put down a £250 deposit, with the first deliveries expected in the spring next year.

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