Between Ouarzazate in Morocco and Cape Town in South Africa, 100 years after André Citroën’s famous “Black Cruise”, four drivers, including Éric Vigouroux, will cross the African continent aboard an electric car from October 28 , the Citroën Ami.
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Éric Vigouroux, a former rally-raid driver, who notably participated in fifteen editions of the Dakar, decided to leave behind the sensations of speed, to this time praise slowness. If motorsport has been an integral part of his life, the idea of crossing the African continent at a snail’s pace will allow him to slow down. “ I’m going to make a dream come true, crossing this continent peacefully. I have often been criticized as a rally raid driver for passing too quickly, for not having time to enjoy the landscapes and for not meeting people. », says this adventurer who will therefore not have to step on the accelerator.
“ Ten years ago I said to myself “the world to change”, and I wanted to reinvent the way of experiencing these wide open spaces, hence the idea of this Green Cruise, after discovering the book on The Black Cruise », explains Éric Vigouroux. In October 1924, André Citroën launched the idea of crossing the African continent from north to south for the first time with automobiles. Compared to geopolitical constraints, the route is not exactly the same. If Éric Vigouroux is no longer passionate about rally raids, his desire to escape remains intact.
During this 14,000 kilometer journey, the electric vehicles of the expedition will charge their batteries on all existing renewable energy production sites. A solar kit of 40 panels, placed at passenger seat level, will also produce electricity to ensure the progress of the expedition at a rate of approximately 250 kilometers per day. “ We will need approximately five hours of recharge, which will allow us during this time to meet the population », Specifies Alexandre Winocq, usually a rally-raid co-driver and mechanic.
The chosen vehicle is a Citroën AMI, one of the most compact electric cars on the market, produced in Morocco and distributed throughout Europe. Compared to the original car, modifications have been made including greater autonomy. The vehicle does not exceed 45 km/h.
If André Citroën had launched this adventure in 1924 to highlight the reliability of his cars and the technology of the time, today it is the concern for clean mobility that is the subject of debate. For Éric Vigouroux, the technologies of our time can allow the African continent to use renewable energy to travel.
The official departure will take place in Ouarzazate on October 28 and the arrival of the four ultra-compact cars is scheduled for mid-January 2025 in Cape Town.