A Citroën Friendship unbridled at 80 km/h would be in preparation

The likely appearance of this new version raises many questions. To whom this range of vehicles is intended ? A scrolling at 80 km/h would imply the holding of a conventional driving license (B license). However, the current public is mainly young, often holder of the only BSR.

Citroën Friend: a unbridled version at 80 km/h could be created

A steroid friend would be in the pipes at Citroën. The maximum speed of the cart could go from 45 to 80 km/h. A project that would raise many questions.

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Will the Citroën Ami transform into a racing car ? Probably not. On the other hand, Citroën engineers are considering released a new unbridled model, according to information fromMagazine Automobile Published this Tuesday, November 29. The without license cart could thus reappear in a dashed version, capable of reaching 80 km/h.

Compulsory approval

Currently, the small electric car of the French manufacturer can reach a top speed close to 45 km/h. An artificial clamping that allows the friend to be approved in the class of cars without a license. With its 5.5 kWh battery and its 8 hp engine, a clearing to reach 80 km/h would be particularly complex. In order to reach this maximum speed, Citroën would have mentioned a change of battery intended to ensure greater capacity and increased power. According to our colleagues, tests would even be in progress on the side of Valeo.

But the game is not won. If she hopes one day to take the roads of France as a large one, the cart will have to pass the approval control via the National Center for the reception of vehicles. In order to succeed in the hand at hand, the new Citroën will have to have several security devices, non -existent on the current model.

For which audience ?

The likely appearance of this new version raises many questions. To whom this range of vehicles is intended ? A scrolling at 80 km/h would imply the holding of a conventional driving license (B license). However, the current public is mainly young, often holder of the only BSR.

The arrival of this new model could however meet the needs of a new fringe of the population. For drivers living a few kilometers from a city, without regular public transport, the friend 2.0 could constitute an acceptable compromise. With conventional road homologation, the car could take roads previously prohibited from bridled friends at 45 km/h (peripherals, expressways. )). No chance if the maximum speed of 80 km/h is mentioned: today is the limitation in force on many departmental. So real project or test balloon ? The bets are open.

A Citroën Friendship unbridled at 80 km/h would be in preparation

The manufacturer would think of replacing the original battery with another more powerful.

The CNET France team

Posted on 03/12/2022 at 12:00:00

Citroën Current friend cannot drive beyond 45 km/h. Reason, its power has been restrained so that it can be approved in the category of Cars without a license. Despite this limited speed, the cart is a real success in France and in certain European countries.

According to Magazine Automobile, Citroën would now think of unbride its micro vehicle to increase its maximum speed to 80 km/h. Would that be possible ? Probably yes ! However, approval could be a problem.

A bigger battery

The Citroën Friend is equipped with an electric motor of 8 CH fueled by a 5.5 kWh battery. With such a configuration, unlocling promises to be complex. But to reach the expected speed (80 km/h), engineers from the French manufacturer have an idea in mind: replace the initial battery with a larger battery capable of providing a little more power.

If everything seems to be achievable so far, one wonders how Citroën will have his unbridled friend approve. As a reminder, the cart does not embark No driving aid system, nor of security device.

And if she managed to obtain approval, for what public the car would intend ? A unbridled version at 80 km/h will require a driving license. Citroën could therefore lose part of its current customers who are, for the most part, holders of the BSR.

The CNET France team published on 03/12/2022 at 12:00 | Updated on 03/12/2022

These Las Vegas: a Citroën Friend who rolls at 80 km/h, it exists!

On the occasion of the CES of Las Vegas, Valeo unveiled a prototype of Citroën Friend capable of reaching 80 km/h, against 45 km/h maximum for the model without permit for sale. The marketing of such a variant is not planned immediately but remains of the order of the possible.

This demonstrator presented by Valeo demonstrates the technical feasibility of a faster version of the Citroën Ami, approved in heavy quadricycle and capable of reaching 80 km/h.

Since its launch in June 2020, the Citroën Ami has been offered in a Unique version without a license, accessible from 14 years old and restrained as regulations at 8 hp and 45 km/h wants to. A different choice of the renault twizy competitor. If there is a version without a license (which corresponds to the administrative category of light quadricycles) of small electric vehicle with diamond, it is also available in a version capable of reaching 80 km/h, approved as a heavy quadricycle and requiring at least a B1 permit (accessible from 16 years old). A variation which therefore does not find equivalent to the Citroën catalog.

Yet, A more efficient version of the Citroën Ami is technically possible. The Valeo equipment supplier has proof of it (Consumer Electronic Show) of Las Vegas, with a prototype which serves as a demonstrator for its electrification systems operating under a tension of 48 volts. Let us recall that it is Valeo which provides the engine of the small Citroën, at the same time as the inverter and the electronic management software. The engine has been developed for light hybridization systems adopted by an increasing number of large manufacturers, where it develops between 15 hp and 20 hp depending on the applications, in addition to a petrol or diesel engine. This is demonstrating that it is for a pure regulatory aspect that it displays limited performance in the serial friend.

A Citroën Friend of 15 CH which reaches 80 km/h

Wanting to show its know-how in terms of light electric vehicles, Valeo therefore exhibited a demonstrator on the basis of Citroën Friendly. A prototype that the youtuber Kyle Conner, of the Out of Spec, was able to try in the streets of Las Vegas. On this copy which serves as a showcase, Valeo did not limit the engine. “The technical elements are identical to those of a serial friend,” reveals the equipment manufacturer interviewed by Kyle Conner. “Only the software part has been modified”. Here, The power amounts to 15 hp and the maximum speed at 80 km/h. Characteristics that appear Online with the requirements of the heavy quadricycles category. In short, the addition of such a version to the Citroën range would be extremely easy, with a low development cost which would be limited almost to those of approval.

At the launch of the friend, Citroën teams confirmed to us that such a variant could emerge, If the request was felt. A year and a half later, the speech has not changed, as confirmed by a spokesperson for the brand contacted by Challenges. “We listen to our customers’ demand, but a heavy quadricycle version does not seem to be a priority expectation. We prefer to focus on the development of our range of accessories for the moment, based on the success of my friend’s concept car Buggy, unveiled in December and which aroused enthusiasm.”Certain ideas, such as 3D printed customization parts or seats cushions should quickly be offered by Citroën.

A heavy quadricycle version of the Citroën Friend possible

At the Chevrons manufacturer, we do not close the door to a heavy quadricycle version, but it will not be for immediately. “Our Kenitra factory, in Morocco, which produces the friend already turns to a rate that is all the higher as it also ensures the manufacture of the friend of the friend, the Opel Rocks-E”, resumes our interlocutor. Admittedly, the heavy quadricycles market (a few hundred copies each year) weighs little compared to that of light quadricycles (more than 23.000 copies in 2021, boosted by the Citroën Ami). The segment was deserted by traditional manufacturers (Aixam was the last to have an offer), who only sold a few copies each year to a small niche of customers, motorhomes who could take these light vehicles on a trailer , without having to pass the license E. But Renault has proven that there was an other clientele for their Twizy who has just passed in a heavy quadricycle version. The reason: the clients of large manufacturers are above all motorists, who are not blocked by the fact that these small urban vehicles require a permit. They chose Twizy for its compact size, fun look and electric motorization, more than for the possibility of driving it without a license. A niche that a boosted friend could also occupy.

In the meantime, those who dream of a Citroën Friend who rolls at 80 km/h like that shown by Valeo in CES might be tempted to unbride her. In addition to the fact that it is illegal, the equipment manufacturers claim that electronics are locked by many codes to discourage any operation of this type. But there may not be to wait forever to see a Citroën Friend Quadricycle heavy arriving. Indeed, the engineer Valeo interviewed by Kyle Conner confesses that Stellantis plans to bring the friend across the Atlantic under the Chrysler brand (which will become 100% electric in 2028), and this would be done with an unavailable version, the regulation of light quadricycles not existing in the United States. Once the production is launched, it is difficult to see what would prevent its marketing in France ..

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