The Microlino 2.0 deliveries are scheduled to start on September 21, 2021. As they quickly approach, Micro-Mobility needs to define all aspects the production version will have, and the third prototype already presents most of them. It will include a reworked folding roof, a central display, and no door handle, but it is the manufacturing process that deserves more attention.
Concerning the changes it introduced compared to its predecessors, the most visible one in the third prototype of the Microlino 2.0 is the new interior. It now has two displays: one behind the steering wheel and the central display we already mentioned.
It will be used basically to control heating and the elements it assists, such as the windshield and rear window defogging. With the tiny display, Micro-Mobility said it managed to save space, cut cost (with no physical buttons), and have more flexibility with future improvements in the car.
Magna Car Top Systems reengineered its folding roof to be opened with a single hand, even when the Microlino 2.0 is being driven. This feature will be optional for entry-level versions of the car and a standard element for the more expensive ones.
Just like the Ford Mustang Mach-E, the bubble car’s only door will not have a conventional handle. According to Micro-Mobility, owners will unlock the vehicle, click a button below the right headlight, and the door pops out enough for them to grab it and open it “seamlessly.” There is another button to pop out the door from the inside, located at the back of the aluminum handlebar.
Regarding the manufacturing process, CECOMP will not take care of it alone. Micro-Mobility established a joint venture with its Italian partner called Microlino Italia. The new company will be in charge of producing the bubble car and was probably a measure to avoid surprises if CECOMP eventually gets sold, for example.
That is what happened with Tazzari, Micro-Mobility’s former partner to produce the Microlino 1.0. The new owner of the Italian company, Artega, decided it would also sell a version of the Microlino, which caused a legal dispute between the companies that was settled.
Artega now has the Karo, which would be the Microlino 1.0. It will sell its Intro derivative for €18,483 without VAT (€21,995 with it) and the Edition version for €15,122 price tag, also without VAT (€17,995 including it). It presents a plastic body and a tubular frame to underpin it. Deliveries are expected to begin by mid-2021.
The Microlino 2.0 has a €12,000 base price and uses a stamped steel monocoque, similar to that of most cars. In the gallery above, you may see the stamping mold for the side panel, which will be made of aluminum.
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