Stellantis Middle East & Africa (MEA) is endorsing “La Croisière Verte”, a remarkable 14,000-kilometer journey across Africa in four fully-electric Citroën AMIs, organized by entrepreneur and former rally driver Éric Vigouroux. This event celebrates 100 years since André Citroën’s legendary “Croisière Noire”, capturing the same adventurous spirit, now routed towards sustainable mobility.
Éric Vigouroux and “La Croisière Verte”
To honor this centenary, Éric Vigouroux has taken up the challenge of retracing this iconic route with electric vehicles powered entirely by renewable energy. Launched with a symbolic send-off at the Mondial de l’Auto in Paris (Paris Motor show) by Mr. Henri-Jacques Citroën, grandson of André Citroën, “La Croisière Verte” serves as a call for environmental awareness and green travel across Africa. Stellantis MEA with its Brand Citroën MEA join this mission as a committed partner through its Citroën Ami brand, highlighting a shared vision for advancing sustainable mobility on African continent.
The Africa’ journey with fully self-sufficient generating power with onboard solar kits
The journey has officially departed from Ouarzazate, Morocco, country where the Citroën AMI is produced and distributed, underscoring the vehicle’s roots in the region. This challenging route will highlight the AMI’s compact, energy-efficient design, which can successfully traverse diverse terrains. The vehicles, equipped with onboard solar kits by the organizers, are fully self-sufficient in generating their power – an impressive feat that demonstrates the potential of micro-mobility in even the most demanding conditions.
As part of Stellantis’ Dare Forward 2030 vision, Stellantis MEA is committed to making clean and accessible mobility a reality across the Middle East and Africa—a region with unique market dynamics and increasing demand for affordable transport options. With a population of 2 billion and approximately 4 million new car sales annually, the MEA region represents a vast opportunity for micro-electromobility. Stellantis envisions this segment as a bridge between two-wheelers and traditional pre-owned vehicles, offering a fresh solution for urban and regional mobility.
Samir Cherfan’ words
“At Stellantis, our goal is to lead the micro-electromobility transformation across Middle east & Africa by leveraging our deep understanding of the market, our robust distribution networks, and our advanced industrial ecosystem,” said Samir Cherfan, Chief Operating Officer of Stellantis MEA. “Our Kenitra plant in Morocco plays a central role in this mission, producing a range of electric micro-mobility vehicles exclusively for the region. Beginning with the Citroën AMI, production has since expanded to include the Opel Rocks-e and the Fiat Topolino, models specifically crafted for urban mobility that showcase Stellantis’s commitment to accessible and sustainable transportation. With an annual production capacity of 70,000 units, our Kenitra plant solidifies our competitive edge in regional industrialization, local supplier networks, and engineering expertise.”
The Citroën AMI
The Citroën AMI illustrates this micro-mobility revolution, with over 65,000 units sold since its launch across 17 countries, including Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and South America. Globally recognized, including winning the ‘Grand Prix du Design Automobile 2024’, the Citroen AMI’s success is also evident in Morocco, which boasts the world’s largest Citroën AMI fleet. In collaboration with ‘Poste Maroc’, 225 Citroen AMIs are actively used to support postal services in Casablanca and Rabat, reflecting the vehicle’s durability, low environmental footprint, and operational efficiency. This extensive adoption showcases the Citroën AMI’s adaptability for both urban commutes and more adventurous activities like “La Croisiére Verte.”
Stellantis MEA remains steadfast in advancing the electric vehicle landscape, ensuring that sustainable micromobility becomes a reality across the Middle East and Africa. As “La Croisiére Verte” gets on its historic journey, it signifies the next frontier of mobility, showing how compact, efficient electric vehicles can transform transportation in some of the world’s most dynamic regions. Stellantis MEA is committed to driving this transformation, focused on empowering communities with forward-thinking, innovative mobility solutions for a sustainable future.