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Opel Rocks-e Is a Citroen Ami Submitted to Badge Engineering

It seems Citroën hit the jackpot with the Ami. It should be doing so well that Opel decided to have its share of that cake. Another possibility is that Stellantis thinks the idea can succeed in markets where the Citroën brand may not do so well, such as in Germany. Whatever the explanation is, the deal is that the Ami now has an Opel version called Rocks-e. The sad bit is that it is the most recent example of badge engineering in the automotive industry.
Opel Rocks-e 11 photos
Photo: Opel
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From a financial point of view, it may make perfect sense. The Rocks-e and the Ami are supposed to be affordable, and nothing is cheaper than selling the same vehicle with different badges. They are supposed to make a bridge between scooters and passenger vehicles. Opel even came up with a new acronym for that: SUM, or Sustainable Urban Mobility. That’s its unique way of naming electric “sans permis” vehicles.

To be honest, the Rocks-e and the Ami are not vehicles that do not demand a driver’s license, as the French expression for them alerts. Opel states that its SUM version is available for drivers older than 15 years old with an AM permit. This driver’s license applies to vehicles that do not exceed 45 km/h (28 mph) and have a maximum of 6 kW (8 hp).

As a badge engineered product, the Rocks-e shares the exact specifications as the Ami. It is 2.41 meters long, 1.39 m wide, and 1.52 m tall. Neither Citroën nor Opel disclosed its wheelbase, but the German brand states that people taller than 1.90 m (6.2 feet) can drive it comfortably. Only two people fit in the Ami… Sorry, in the Rocks-e.

What Opel seems to have improved is the weight. Instead of 485 kilograms (1,069 pounds), the Rocks-e weighs 471 kg. That allowed Opel’s SUM to offer a little more range: 75 kilometers (46.6 miles) with the 5.5 kWh battery pack instead of 70 km (43.5 mi). It would be interesting to learn how Opel did that, but it conveniently does not mention the Ami at any point of the release.

The Rocks-e will be available to order in Germany starting in the autumn in three trims: Rocks-e, Rocks-e “Klub,” and Rocks-e “TeKno.” Opel did not clarify the differences between them. On its official website, we can see that the Klub and the TeKno have hub caps and a different paint job. The TeKno has bright yellow elements in the interior.

Opel promised the Rocks-E would have a lower price than a small car and that the monthly leasing cost will be equivalent to “that of a local public transportation,” probably for an entire month as well. In 2022, the Rocks-e shall be offered in other markets: we’d bet on those in which Opel has a more substantial presence than Citroën.
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About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
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Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
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