On October 28th, at the controls of four specially prepared Citroën Ami Cargo vehicles, Eric Vigouroux, Alexandre Winocq, Antonia de Roissard, and Maarten van Pel set off from Morocco (Ouarzazate), aiming to reach Cape Town, South Africa, by mid-January 2025. This incredible raid, named “Croisière Verte” (“Green Cruise”), led by Eric Vigouroux, highlights electric mobility and so-called “clean” electricity. Here are the first photos of the Citroën Ami in Africa.
After launching the “Croisière Verte” during the 2022 Paris Motor Show, Eric Vigouroux and his companions began their journey across the African continent at the end of October 2024. They aim to make history again for the Citroën brand, 100 years after the historic “Croisière Noire”, the Sahara crossing carried out by Citroën from October 28, 1924, to June 26, 1925. Citroën Ami vehicles on African tracks and in exceptional landscapes offer us magnificent photos. Morocco, Guinea, and then the Ivory Coast are the countries already crossed by the “Croisière Verte”.
As mentioned in the introduction, the four Citroën Ami Cargo vehicles of the “Croisière Verte” (“Green Cruise”) have been specifically optimized to navigate African tracks. At the front, a small bull bar equips the small electric car, which falls under the category of electric quadricycles, no longer eligible for the ecological bonus in France.
Additionally, there are other metal protections for the front optics, off-road tires, and open fenders equipped with plastic protections. The Vaison Sport structure, a rally world specialist, handled the modifications of the Amis.
Originally, the Citroën Ami and Ami Cargo develop a power of 6 kW with a battery capacity of 5.5 kWh. The Citroën Ami can reach a maximum speed of 45 km/h (28 mph) and has a range of 70 km (43 miles).
Thanks to foldable solar panel kits, the Citroën Ami Cargo vehicles, with additional batteries, from the “Croisière Verte”, can be recharged via the intense rays of the African sun. Here are the main technical details related to the Ami vehicles on this fabulous African raid:
- Solar panels: 40 foldable and tiltable modules per Citroën Ami – Installation in 15 minutes
- Battery recharge time for Ami Cargo: between 5h00 and 6h00
- Range: approximately 300 km (186 miles)
Finally, as you may have understood, the brave members of the “Croisière Verte” (“Green Cruise”) will use green energy to recharge their Ami’s battery during the crossing of the African continent, from Ouarzazate to Cape Town. For those of you who want to follow the “Croisière Verte”, visit Facebook by clicking here.
The Editorial Team
Photos: Facebook “Croisière Verte”
