Fancy a British alternative to the Citroen Ami? Well you’re in luck, because a UK startup called Ark has today revealed its first electric car, called the Zero, and it costs just £5,995.
That price tag sees the Zero undercut the Ami by about £1,700, or a whopping 22 percent.
For less than the price of an entry-level Apple Mac Pro, you get an electric two-seater that weighs just 489 kg, has a top speed of 28 mph and a claimed range of 50.3 miles. Power is just 2.2 kW (3 bhp) and Ark says the lithium-ion battery can be charged in six to eight hours at a cost of “less than £1”. Naturally, charge speed and price will depend on where you plug in and how much that electricity costs.
The interior looks a little more plush than the back-to-basics Ami, with luxuries like a reversing camera, infotainment display, Bluetooth, a sound system with radio, and USB charge ports.
Intended only for short journeys in towns and cities, the Ark Zero measures just 2,500mm long, 1,202mm wide and 1,625 mm tall, meaning it’s even shorter than the Citroen Ami, while being a little taller.
Ark says the interior is designed for two people and a dog. Interestingly, the vehicle has a centre-seat driving position, with the driver in the middle (just like a McLaren F1 and GMA T.50), with their passenger and dog sharing the wider second row.
Only one specification is available and there are four colour options of red, black, white and grey.
Although Ark describes the Zero as a car, it’s actually a quadricycle. This means it doesn’t have to comply with the ever-more stringent crash safety systems of actual cars. That said, Ark says the Zero uses a monocoque chassis and an aluminium body, adding in a message to potential customers: “The robust aluminium body of our electric cars forms a solid protective shell around you, offering enhanced resistance in case of impact.”
Ark also emphasises how the aluminium body is better at impact absorption than other materials, and the Zero’s light weight makes for improved braking and manoeuvrability.
Ark founder and CEO Yilmaz Bora said: “At Ark, we are committed to creating The Future of Urban Mobility that is smarter, smoother, and greener. By eliminating fossil fuel reliance and embracing electric vehicles like the Ark Zero, we can foster positive change in our communities and protect our planet for future generations."
The Zero can be ordered now and Ark says delivery times are currently between 14 and 16 weeks.
