Free2Move teases addition of Citroën Ami to its D.C. car-sharing fleet

French automotive brand Citroën is coming to the United States — well, sort of.

Free2Move, Stellantis NV's mobility services brand, this week teased the addition of the Citroën Ami to its short-term rental car-sharing fleet in Washington, D.C. The Ami is a two-passenger electric quadricycle with a top speed of 28 mph that some have likened to looking like a washing machine.

"Something big is coming to Washington DC..." the brand posted on LinkedIn, with a silhouette of the tiny two-door that measures less than 8 feet in length.

The plan for Free2Move had been to use the car-sharing service to reintroduce Groupe PSA brands starting with Peugeot to the United States and eventually sell them here. That, however, was prior to the French automaker's merger with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV in January to create Stellantis. Now that the new company has a significant U.S. presence, CEO Carlos Tavares has said the priority is improving the brands where they are.

"At this stage," Tavares said in January, "it is possibly more important to be focused on the profitable growth of those brands rather than bringing a new brand on top of what already exists, but we'll see in the future. Nothing is final on this matter."

The Moroccan-built Ami, which launched last year, was designed to be an inexpensive zero-emission vehicle. It has a 5.5-kilowatt-hour battery, providing about 45 miles of range. It can charge in three hours from a standard electrical outlet, according to the company. And in France, anyone over the age of 14 can drive one even without a license.

Specific details on the introduction of the Citroën Ami to Washington were not available Friday, with more information on the teaser expected soon, a brand spokesman said. In Paris, Free2Move offers the Ami for 31 cents (0.26 euro) per minute plus an $11.90 (9.90 euros) per month Free2Move subscription fee.

There are 500 Chevrolet Equinox SUVs and Cruze sedans in the Washington fleet starting at $1 plus 62 cents or 56 cents per minute. Another 100 vehicles — Jeep Renegade SUVs — are expected to be added soon.

Free2Move also is expanding elsewhere in the United States, having found sustainability in Washington and experiencing a 40% boost in usage worldwide in the second half of 2020 as government restrictions have lifted. It plans to introduce its car-sharing service to Portland by this summer. On Wednesday, Free2Move announced the launch of its month-to-month Car on Demand subscription service in Los Angeles with cities in five other states to come before the end of the year.

bnoble@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @BreanaCNoble