Currently the city is abuzz with mobility proposals, something that will increase with the arrival of new regulations and the implementation of electrification in urban centers. With the goal of becoming a company dedicated to mobility services , Citroën launched the AMI more than a year ago. Now, and as part of the PSA group and the Stellantis conglomeration, Opel has launched its own version of the electric quadricycle, called the Opel Rocks-e. It is, therefore, the same vehicle concept but with a different exterior design and the name change, little else.
The Citroën AMI we could test it at the time on the streets of Madrid, so we will talk about it to comment on the details of the Opel Rocks-e . Since it is approved as a light quadricycle (or L6e car) it is possible to drive it from the age of 16 , as long as we obtain the AM license . It becomes the ideal alternative to mopeds , due to its greater protection and a reasonable price, taking into account its 100% electric propulsion.
The Opel AMI
The similarities to the Citroën AMI are all. The only thing that changes is the exterior design, which continues to bet on symmetry to reduce manufacturing costs as much as possible. Measuring 2.41 meters long, 1.39 meters wide with a turning diameter of 7.2 meters , it is still an easy microcar to maneuver through city traffic and park in any tiny gap. Hence, Citroën has opted for the implementation of the AMI in its carsharing service, something that we do not rule out also happening with the Rocks-e.
The differences with respect to the AMI focus on the choice of trim, colors and silkscreens for the exterior trim. Inside we see a slightly more sporty steering wheel , as if taken from a current car from the Ray firm, but the rest, more of the same. There are three trim levels available: Basic, Klub, and Tekno .
At the wheel
The Rocks-e is configured in the same way as the AMI, so it has a 5.5 kWh battery that gives it 75 kilometers of autonomy . It is not a vehicle with which to travel, far from it. Soundproofing is conspicuous by its absence, in the same way as air conditioning, but its adjusted price will make it rival that of motorcycles and mopeds for urban use.
It is charged from a household outlet via a cable coming out of the passenger’s A-pillar, and it takes about three and a half hours to complete the process. Opel will offer a type 2 adapter in case we want to plug the Rocks-e into a public charging socket.
The seating arrangement is most curious, with a slight delay on the part of the co-pilot. This gives you more legroom , which can be used to transport carry-on bags, since there is no trunk as such. Behind the driver’s seat there is space for another relatively large bag and the dashboard is made up of modules to store Ikea-type objects, which we can modify and personalize with the desired color.
