Photo: Microlino
Back in the swinging ‘60s, the automotive “future” was incredibly tiny, very cute, and surprisingly unsafe. In 2020, the future could still belong to microcars.
Inspired by the Isetta bubble car, the Microlino first emerged on the market in 2018, with the first version of the tiny EV. Version 2.0 is now underway, with the Swiss maker sharing progress on it in a December 22 blog post. It’s all very good news.
For starters, production on Microlino 2.0 has been impacted only to a small degree by the ongoing health crisis. This improved version of the bubble car will still go into production in 2021, the makers are confident enough to say.
Secondly, several considerable improvements over the original model will be made. They include a wider rear axle and independent suspension for an even smoother ride, an upgraded dash in which buttons have been replaced with a secondary display (which allows for a wider variety of functions), and the incorporation of front and rear LED light strips, making the 2.0 the first heavy quadricycle to have those. Yes, the Microlino 2.0 is a L7e category vehicle, also known as a heavy quadricycle.
Last but not least, the team behind this unbelievably cute EV reveals that testing on the first complete prototype of the 2.0 version has begun. The video posted to the official Microlino Facebook confirms that.
The Microlino is inspired by the Isetta bubble car in looks only, in that it features a front swinging door that opens for access and colorful color combinations. It’s offered in two models in terms of range, one with 125 km (78 miles) of per-charge range and one with 200 km (125 miles). Top speed is of 90 kph (56 mph), thanks to a 15 kW (20 hp) rear-mounted motor that provides 110 Nm (81 lb-ft) of torque.
At €12,000 ($14,650 at today’s exchange rate), it’s a small and visually striking EV made for city use only. Much like the microcars of yore, it’s meant as a compromise between a car and a bicycle, in that it offers shelter from the elements and cargo space, while still being able to squeeze through traffic almost like a bike. The Microlino is also purely electric, so it’s got that as an upper hand over regular ICE (internal combustion engine) cars.
For starters, production on Microlino 2.0 has been impacted only to a small degree by the ongoing health crisis. This improved version of the bubble car will still go into production in 2021, the makers are confident enough to say.
Secondly, several considerable improvements over the original model will be made. They include a wider rear axle and independent suspension for an even smoother ride, an upgraded dash in which buttons have been replaced with a secondary display (which allows for a wider variety of functions), and the incorporation of front and rear LED light strips, making the 2.0 the first heavy quadricycle to have those. Yes, the Microlino 2.0 is a L7e category vehicle, also known as a heavy quadricycle.
Last but not least, the team behind this unbelievably cute EV reveals that testing on the first complete prototype of the 2.0 version has begun. The video posted to the official Microlino Facebook confirms that.
The Microlino is inspired by the Isetta bubble car in looks only, in that it features a front swinging door that opens for access and colorful color combinations. It’s offered in two models in terms of range, one with 125 km (78 miles) of per-charge range and one with 200 km (125 miles). Top speed is of 90 kph (56 mph), thanks to a 15 kW (20 hp) rear-mounted motor that provides 110 Nm (81 lb-ft) of torque.
At €12,000 ($14,650 at today’s exchange rate), it’s a small and visually striking EV made for city use only. Much like the microcars of yore, it’s meant as a compromise between a car and a bicycle, in that it offers shelter from the elements and cargo space, while still being able to squeeze through traffic almost like a bike. The Microlino is also purely electric, so it’s got that as an upper hand over regular ICE (internal combustion engine) cars.
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