With AMI, Citroën has revolutionised urban mobility, allowing young people or people without a driving licence to regain the freedom to travel in 100% electric mode at very affordable prices. Today, Citroën is going even further with AMI for ALL, designed for people with disabilities, opening up new possibilities for travel.
The AMI for ALL concept is a project developed by Citroën in partnership with PIMAS, a specialist in the conversion of vehicles for people with reduced mobility, and will be unveiled at the next Automechanika Paris show, to be held at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre from 6 to 8 June 2023.
Adapted to the needs of people with reduced mobility who have lost the use of at least one lower limb, and in particular those who use a wheelchair, the AMI for ALL concept incorporates technical developments such as increased door opening angle, wheelchair-to-seat transfer equipment (board and straps), mechanical and manual management of acceleration and braking, a ball on the steering wheel to facilitate driving and an ingenious proposal for transporting the wheelchair indoors or outdoors.
Thierry Koskas, Managing Director of Citroën, says: "Ami for All is in line with Ami's philosophy of providing a concrete answer to the question of access to mobility for all. Ami has reintroduced the ease of micro-movements and given more independence to young people, the elderly and those without a driving licence. We are delighted to present this technical solution to extend this freedom of movement to people with reduced mobility and we are working to make this project a reality in the short term".
With this new offer, Citroën is providing people with reduced mobility with a suitable, accessible transport solution that is unique in its kind and is proving to be a real factor in social integration, restoring freedom and independence to those who are restricted in their daily lives.
This Ami for ALL project is part of the Star*up programme, an idea incubator that allows Stellantis employees to submit their innovative ideas. If the proposal is selected, the employee has the opportunity to participate in the Business Accelerator, where ideas can become reality. The meeting between Christophe Lapeyre, the man behind this project, and Citroën around a shared vision was a natural one.
Christophe Lapeyre - Project Manager "Ami for All" explains: "The project shared in 2022 was to offer a turnkey solution to adapt the travel of people with disabilities to the challenge of electricity. The idea came to me when I saw how students at my son-in-law's high school had to rely on transfers in TPMR (Transport for Persons with Reduced Mobility) vehicles, while their classmates enjoyed total freedom. In addition to the social challenge, finding technical and industrial solutions was a particularly motivating challenge. In Citroën, I immediately found a sponsor who believed in me and accompanied me in the development of the project".
A FUNCTIONAL, SIMPLE AND PRACTICAL PMR LAYOUT
The "Ami for All" PMR adaptor is standardised and easy to install, regardless of the Ami version chosen by the customer. It has been designed and manufactured in collaboration with PIMAS, a reference company in PMR vehicle conversion.
The development of "Ami for All" was based on the spirit of Ami, which values pragmatism and ingenuity without superfluity. At its heart is a mechanical adaptation of the cabin to allow people with leg disabilities to easily access and drive the cockpit. This involved redesigning the accessibility of the driver's door, the on-board transfer aid, moving the accelerator and brake controls to hand level and adapting the interior to accommodate a disassembled wheelchair.
Access on board
Naturellement Ami is an interesting solution for access on board. Thanks to a wide door and its antagonistic opening on the driver's side, getting in and out is made easier. The angle of the door hinge has been increased to allow the customer to position their wheelchair parallel to the threshold of the passenger compartment after opening the driver's door. A removable and retractable tray is then folded out to allow independent transfer from the wheelchair to the passenger compartment. The customer moves from the wheelchair to the driver's seat using a strap attached to the upper part of the interior door frame. The whole process takes only a few minutes.
Driving
Once on board and ready to start, the driver has a ball on the steering wheel to ensure easy grip and to benefit from the excellent manoeuvrability of the "Ami for all". The usual foot pedal of the 6kW electric motor has been replaced by an intuitive mechanical lever that simply pulls or pushes to manually control the accelerator and brake. Note that the pedal remains operational.
Storing the wheelchair
There are two solutions for transporting the wheelchair. It can be stowed in the passenger compartment, taking advantage of the Citroën Ami's large storage space in front of the passenger. The driver then removes the wheels from the wheelchair and secures them in the footwell using a specially designed strap. The wheels fit perfectly into this storage space. The folded chair finds its place on the passenger seat. It is secured there with an additional and specific safety belt. This configuration allows the disabled driver to be autonomous in all his movements.
If there is also a passenger, the wheelchair can be easily placed in a special space at the rear of the "Ami for All" thanks to an aluminium luggage rack. The wheelchair must then be installed by the passenger, who covers it with a protective tarpaulin. The passenger space in the cabin is then completely free. The user of "Ami for All" is no longer dependent on a third person to accompany him, but becomes his own companion for his daily journeys and moments of conviviality.
Electric mobility accessible to all is Citroën's new mantra, and with the Ami for ALL concept, the brand proves that it really does think of everyone. An ingenious idea that demonstrates the full potential of AMI's adaptability and proves to be very useful for people with reduced mobility, who will find in Ami a vehicle adapted to their needs, opening up new prospects for travel.