The Citroën Ami is already one of the more distinctive vehicles on European streets — a compact two-seat electric quadricycle designed for city use, small enough to park almost anywhere and slow enough to be legally driveable by teenagers in many European countries. Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Caselani thought the Ami’s modern styling left something on the table, and has now produced the Type-Ami: a complete body conversion that replaces the standard Ami’s exterior panels with a new fiberglass shell designed to evoke the Citroën HY van of the post-war era. The conversion is produced under an official licence from Citroën, co-designed with the Citroën Style Centre, and is available either as a complete ready-to-drive vehicle or as a standalone kit that owners can fit to their own existing Ami.
Caselani is based in Sospiro, near Cremona, in Northern Italy, and has been producing Citroën-licensed body conversions for some time across its broader product range.
A design rooted in post-war France
The visual reference point for the Type-Ami is the Citroën HY van — a corrugated-panel commercial vehicle that went into production in the aftermath of World War II and remained in production until 1981. The HY was a common sight across France for decades, used as a delivery vehicle, food truck, and mobile shop, and its distinctive ridged bodywork and rounded proportions have maintained a nostalgic following well beyond its production run.
Caselani’s approach to translating that aesthetic onto the Ami involved designing entirely new fiberglass panels from scratch. The front fascia drops the Ami’s current badge in favour of a large pair of Citroën chevrons rendered in the style of the HY’s grille. The headlights are repositioned to protrude from the body in round pods, directly referencing the HY’s lamp placement. Along the sides and rear, horizontal ribbed lines run the length of the bodywork — the same corrugated surface treatment that defines the original HY and Citroën’s earlier 2CV Fourgonnette van.
The kit also includes a set of small steel wheels that reinforce the retro character of the overall design, and each Type-Ami comes fitted with a panoramic glass sunroof as standard. An optional canvas sunroof is available for buyers who prefer an open-air configuration.
The design was a collaboration between Caselani’s in-house designer David Obendorfer and a team from the Citroën Style Centre supervised by Pierre Leclercq, Citroën’s head of design. Citroën’s direct involvement in the project distinguishes the Type-Ami from an aftermarket modification — it is a licensed product with the automaker’s formal approval.
The mechanics stay the same
The Type-Ami is a body conversion, not a mechanical one. Underneath the new panels, the technical specifications remain identical to the standard Citroën Ami. That means a 5.5 kWh battery powering a 6 kW (8 hp) electric motor, a top speed of 45 km/h (28 mph), and a claimed range of approximately 75 km (about 46 miles) per charge. The total vehicle weight is 471 kg — the same as the unmodified Ami, despite the new bodywork.
The Ami is classified as a light quadricycle under European regulations, which places it in a different legal category from a conventional car. In many European countries, this means it can be driven from age 14 with only an AM (moped equivalent) license, and it does not require a full driver’s license. It is not subject to the same safety and regulatory requirements as standard passenger cars, which is part of what keeps it compact, lightweight, and accessible.
For context relevant to North American readers: the Citroën Ami is not sold in the United States or Canada. Quadricycles of this type do not meet standard U.S. passenger vehicle regulations, though some low-speed electric vehicle categories exist at the state level. The Type-Ami conversion is, for now, a product aimed squarely at the European market.
Two ways to buy
Caselani offers the Type-Ami in two configurations. The first is a complete vehicle — a new Citroën Ami with the Type-Ami conversion already fitted at the Caselani factory in Sospiro. The second is the conversion kit on its own, which can be purchased separately and fitted either by Caselani or to a buyer’s own existing Ami, new or used.
The handcrafting process takes place entirely at the Caselani factory. The company describes each conversion as individually built by technicians rather than produced on a mass-production line, which is consistent with Caselani’s positioning across its broader range of licensed Citroën-based vehicles.
Caselani’s broader Citroën range
The Type-Ami is the smallest vehicle in Caselani’s lineup, but it follows an established pattern. The company has built a niche business around applying retro-HY bodywork to modern Citroën commercial vehicles under an official licensing arrangement. Its other models include the Type H, a conversion based on the full-size Citroën Relay van; the Type HG, based on the mid-size Dispatch; and the Fourgonnette, based on the Berlingo, which replicates the look of Citroën’s vintage 2CV Fourgonnette delivery van. There is also a nautical model in the range. Taken together, the lineup reads as a systematic effort to apply a consistent design philosophy — retro Citroën commercial aesthetics on contemporary electric or low-emission platforms — across multiple vehicle sizes.
The Type-Ami extends this approach down to the micro-mobility segment for the first time, applying the same visual language to the smallest and most accessible vehicle in the Citroën lineup.
Things to keep in mind
The Type-Ami carries all the practical constraints of the base Citroën Ami. The 45 km/h top speed and 75 km range make it suitable for short urban commutes and city errands, but not for highway or long-distance travel. It seats two people, and interior space is minimal. These are known characteristics of the Ami platform rather than issues introduced by the conversion, but buyers considering the Type-Ami primarily for its looks should be clear on what the underlying vehicle can and cannot do.
As a European-market product, servicing and spare parts availability outside of Italy and surrounding markets may be limited. Prospective buyers in other countries should confirm logistics and support before purchasing.
Pricing and availability
The Type-Ami complete vehicle starts from €14,000 (excluding VAT). The conversion kit alone — for fitting to an existing Citroën Ami — is priced at approximately €5,000 (again before local VAT).
Both options are available now. Out-of-stock and available units can be browsed through Caselani’s outlet page at en.caselani.com. The Type-Ami is available in multiple colours.
Product page: Type-Ami
