Citroen AMI Electric in the ICE and SNOW - How does it cope in cold weather?

The Citroen Ami Electric Quadricycle can suffer from low power and extended battery charging times when the temperature falls below 5 degrees C. The normal recharging times are usually about 2.5 to 3.5 hours but in cold weather this can increase to up to 5 hours. The Ami's LiPoFe4 battery should not/cannot be recharged if the temperature falls below 0 degrees C.
My 4.6 mile trip out in the snow (-1 deg C) used 7 miles of battery range and took 1hr 50 minutes to fully recharge to 46 miles range.
The car was noticeably slower up the hills in this cold weather. I slowed to 9 mph on the steepest hill where I would normally being doing 15 mph. I was still able to achieve 28 mph on the flat. The car was not displaying any of the low temperature warnings which come on and further reduce speed to protect the battery.

[@EleanorPeterson]

Brrr! Back when I was a tiny little Elli and cars were cold, wet and miserable in winter, the traditional birthday or Christmas gift for the driver of the household was a real chamois leather, a woolly hat (bobble optional), and a pair of driving gloves. Looks like it's time to start dropping hints, Doug...😁 Without a petrol engine chucking out waste heat things look chilly, but would turning off the Ami's heater/blower help extend its cold-weather range to any significant degree? 🤔 Incidentally, a cold driver is usually more alert than one snuggled down in cosy climate-controlled luxury with a heated backside and a toasty-warm steering wheel... P.S. - Someone elsewhere in the comments objected to your 'unnecessary' use of indicators; he's missing the point entirely. Signals are for the road users that you DON'T see, not the ones you're aware of. Your considerate driving is much appreciated by this (north of England) cyclist. On a wet, snowy, icy, or semi-salted slippery road I need all the warning I can get from drivers, so thank you for giving a toss, Boss! 😁

[@DougsShed]

Thanks Elli - Definitely need to wrap up warm to drive the Ami.

[@RustyGlovebox]

This was a nice test for the car in the cold weather. Wasn't aware about the limitation of the batteries in the cold. Thanks for taking us along for the ride

[@DougsShed]

Hi Lloyd, It's not even very cold yet and the range and charge times are compromised.

[@niallsommerville9941]

That's not so bad really and you know what to expect now. Quality road testing that you probably won't get from the Balearics, horizontal sleet and gale force side wind tests to follow?

[@LoulousCorner]

Aww man...... April can't come soon enough! I really can't wait to get mine.

[@DougsShed]

Hopefully it will be a bit warmer by April - the Ami does not like the freezing weather.

[@LoulousCorner]

@What's going on in Doug's Shed? Yeah, it'll be nice to enjoy the first part of the year with decent weather to help adjust. But freezing weather.... not looking forward to that learning curve 😆

[@stumpusMaximus]

Nice. Though I suspect when slush piles get channelled in the road it wouldn’t be advisable to hit them! It’s bad enough in a 1.6 ton car, the Ami is liable to be very unpredictable in it’s deflected directions…..😮 try tomorrow when todays snow has melted and frozen overnight. I know here in Edinburgh it’s probably going -3 or -4c

[@DownHillCol]

I was sold on these until I’d seen yours trying to get up a small hill!! I don’t think it would make it on the hill I have to use to get home 🙈 great vid though I quite enjoyed going for a ride to the shops with you 😂

[@DougsShed]

Yes, the Ami does have its flaws! Great fun around town but not good on hills or in the cold.

[@ccooper8785]

Very informative video 👍 It does make me wonder how these have been performing over winter in central France where it gets much colder, for longer than here in Scotland. I would definitely consider one of these if my transport requirements were purely local. Many thanks for posting your experiences.

[@Toby_the_Glen]

I'm amazed that we are still not required by law to fit winter tyres in the winter? As they do in europe. Winter tyres make such a difference!

[@DougsShed]

I like to use "all-season" type tyres on my cars. However we do not get as much snow as alpine areas of Europe.

[@hebogara]

Try a longer trip, car will beep at a moment and slow significantly down when the battery is still about 30% full in this cold weather. It looks like a early turtle mode.

[@DougsShed]

I look forward to experiencing the "bleep" and reduced power.......

[@gregbennet5560]

I want one just for that big orange bag hook.

[@parkview113]

Doug. if you have time see the You Tube presentation : " The Truth Abourt Electric Cars/Dispatches/Channel 4 Documentaries. made by : Channel $ Documentaries - highlights that 20%-80% range I was referring to - but you are probably already aware ...

[@kimmo6498]

We have a universal seat cover for sale in Finland with 12 volt electric resistor. It costs around €15 and needs cigarette lighter plug to work. I would guess that it would be nice to sit on a warm bench on cold day. Just now in Turku Finland is -8 deg celsius and snowing.

[@DougsShed]

I now have a separate 12 volt 50 Ah auxiliary battery which I can use to power higher powered accessories such as heat pads, fans and an inverter.

[@austinswallow]

You can tell that is a new car, the diligent treatment of hosing it down at the end of the trip! Thanks for sharing.

[@DougsShed]

Yeah - that may not last too long!

[@worzysp1]

Man this is so cool. 28mph mmmm Is this something a bicycle 🚲 could ride pass you??? Then how could you drive this on roads!!!??? Please help me out Can people run 🏃‍♂️ that fast. I only need/ and use in England winter months. Rain wind snow So 8 months of the UK What roads can I use

[@benday1218]

coped very well!

[@nickyjames8550]

Why does 28mph look so fast in an Ami 😅

[@BrutalHonduras]

The smaller the car, the faster it looks. Similar to how F1 cars look slower now than they did 20 years ago. They got a lot bigger.

[@MetalNeyth]

Thanks for the video and the ride on your Ami, really lovely view for us on some other "not snowy" places of the earth.

[@DougsShed]

Fortunately we do not get too much snow.

[@changsimon4800]

Citroen Ami would jump to another level If put a simple headliner there.

[@DougsShed]

The glass roof does collect a bit of condensation.

[@parkview113]

Thanks for a useful insight - plus the tip to wash off at the end ... people seem to be shocked or ill-prepared for the drop in performance and longer recharge times in cold conditions ... reading the French sites they seem apopleptic about it... ! Good use could be made of powerbank in these conditions if travelling a distance ... (vehicle would need to be stopped to use the powerbank to recharge..) . Interesting to see whether a winter ttyre is manufactured for the tyre size... (I always have winters on and with seperate rims though living in Sussex - Oct-April on a Volvo XC70 AWD). So pleased I have my Optimate 3 all hooked up to the Ami's 12v when ever vehicle not in use . Numerous surprised French owners finding their quad's "dead" through lack of use in cold conditions... thanks for the insight. Bill in Sussex. (took delv'y of a Pop on Nov. 5th. and just been e mailed for the Halo Dashcam by Citroen Insurance - ( unfortunately my roof blind will preclude fitting where your similar unit is fitted)

[@DougsShed]

Hi William, I knew that the cold battery would be a bit of a problem. I'm working on installing a battery heater. I will probably fit an auxiliary 12v battery to power the battery heater when on the move. In the garage the heater can be powered by a 12v power supply. There seems to be quite a few 155/65 r14 all-season and winter tyres available.

[@parkview113]

@@DougsShed Thanks for your response Doug... best position to be in, (which I am not), is to have a heated garage ... I guess if one's garage is "close" to the house, running c.heating plumbing and a rad to the garage is the best option - would not be prohibitive... have seen a heat pad on one of the Citroen F book sites mooted... did you see that ? Just a couple of days ago... also the consideration of keeping the battery charged not less than 20% and not more than 80% is a factor that is worth considering - applies to powerbanks and ANY battery - if you want to increase battery overal longevity

[@afqferreira]

The big question is: How will the Ami frame deal with salted roads without any Anti corrosion treatment? In my opinion in just 3 ou 4 years the metallic frame will be corroded and the engine may also suffer some king of malfunction.

[@DougsShed]

That is why I have treated mine with "Lanoguard" a lanolin based coating (a bit like "Fluid Film" in the US).

[@Logical_Election]

Winter tire is used or not ?

[@DougsShed]

We do not get enough snow & ice to justify winter tires. From December to March I will limit the Ami's use to 'good' weather.

[@lookoutleo]

Hows doug getting on with his ami

[@DougsShed]

Now done 4700miles

[@lookoutleo]

@@DougsShed do you still use it every day ? I remember you had a strut top bearing fail, have you had any other problems. Was thinking getting one as a fun wee runabout here in Oban . They look great fun

[@stevemccormack9948]

A tough cookie

[@paulrhodes6975]

Good video. Hope you are being recompensed for grocery product placement!

[@cosmodoc]

surprised you didn’t have to wear gloves?

[@DougsShed]

I'm surprised I didn't have my gloves on as well!

[@thorbjrnhellehaven5766]

I'm very curious about how it will charging when it gets colder. Something about -5 °C for battery temperature. Maybe one might try to add some heater to the battery, to allow charging and improve power.

[@DougsShed]

I'm in the process of installing a battery heater.

[@thorbjrnhellehaven5766]

@@DougsShed I hope you are making a video about that.🙂❤️

[@thorbjrnhellehaven5766]

@@DougsShed I'm looking at my (current) car right now. Cabin is -2 °C and outside is -3 °C. That's half past noon. Was probably a bit colder in the morning. In January/February I expect some days to be even colder. -15 °C or even -20 °C is not unheard of, but pretty rare. But we want to be able to charge and use the car every day/night.

[@thegodgamer436]

45 no 28

[@DougsShed]

45kph = 28mph

[@thegodgamer436]

@@DougsShed oh ok i didn't know that

[@mmigesh4735]

Steering one-handed! Clever. Unnecessary use of indicators.

[@DougsShed]

It's a skill! It's not a BMW

[@angusbuchan.]

Where unnecessary? all needed to indicate change of direction and intention to slow down and pull off the road as far as I see.

[@niallsommerville9941]

@@gilburton I suspect Gus's remark is a bit tongue in cheek ;-)

[@parkview113]

petty nonsense and again persuading me to stop reading comment posts... !

[@EleanorPeterson]

Oh, come now, Mister Migesh SMIDSY! There's no such thing as unnecessary use of indicators on public roads. The point of indicating is to show others your intentions. You don't signal for the benefit of yourself or the people you can see; you signal for the ones you don't see until it's too late.💥 Bikers, cyclists, human beings...🤭

[@Purly]

Ever since it's gotten below 10c my Rocks-E's been acting different. At 25km left it beeps and starts turtling for 1km and then speeds up again. It will start to turtle again between 11-15km, which is earlier than in summer, where it starts between 5-8km. It also shows much longer charge times. Last monday it still showed 1 and a half hours left when I unhooked it, but the display showed 71km range when I started it up. Just like yours it has a little more trouble with hills. The regenerative braking also seems to kick in later than in summer. I'm used to it kicking in at around 70km range, now it starts at 65. It's my first electric car, and only my second car in total.

[@DougsShed]

It sounds like your battery pack reaches its first low temperature warning as you drive. Eventually the battery will self-heat as it discharges and raise the temperature enough for full power before cooling again?

[@junejones7101]

✔️ 'promo sm'!