Think of a drag race, and you’ll probably picture smoking tires, aggressiveness, and brute force just waiting to be unleashed. This is not that.
In what is perhaps the cutest drag race to have ever happened, here are two Microlino electric cars going against each other. The winner is, predictably, the newer version, the Microlino 2.0, which should start deliveries later this year, if everything goes according to plan.
Microlino is the brainchild of Micro Mobility Systems, first announced back in 2018. That was Microlino 1.0, an Isetta-inspired microcar that never made it into production. But the Swiss company didn’t give up on the idea, even though, to be fair, microcars have long gone out of fashion. So last year, Microlino 2.0 emerged on the radar with the introduction of the first working prototype.
That would be the same tiny EV that’s now shown racing its older and much less capable sibling, the 1.0. The race ends predictably, with the newer model crossing the finish line first, thanks to greater acceleration, due to “a more powerful and efficient motor and new software.” The 2.0 model also has a wider rear axle and independent suspension, which makes it more stable and easier to handle than the 1.0, Micro Mobility Systems says on social media.
Aside from racing the first prototype, the company is also working on the second prototype of the five it plans to build before mass production. There’s a September 2021 delivery date for the Microlino 2.0, but it’s highly dependent on further developments and delays brought about by the international health crisis as with everything else these days.
That said, when it does reach customers, the Microlino 2.0 will come with either 125 km (78 miles) or 200 km (125 miles) of range on a single charge and a 15-kW (20-hp) rear-mounted motor with 110 Nm (81 lb-ft) of torque enabling a top speed of 90 kph (56 mph). Access inside is done by a hatch-like door that swings to the side, and despite the diminutive size, the Microlino can squeeze in two adults and some luggage.
Classified as an L7e vehicle (heavy quadricycle) in Europe, the Microlino 2.0 will start at €12,000 (approximately $14,500 at the current exchange rates).
Microlino is the brainchild of Micro Mobility Systems, first announced back in 2018. That was Microlino 1.0, an Isetta-inspired microcar that never made it into production. But the Swiss company didn’t give up on the idea, even though, to be fair, microcars have long gone out of fashion. So last year, Microlino 2.0 emerged on the radar with the introduction of the first working prototype.
That would be the same tiny EV that’s now shown racing its older and much less capable sibling, the 1.0. The race ends predictably, with the newer model crossing the finish line first, thanks to greater acceleration, due to “a more powerful and efficient motor and new software.” The 2.0 model also has a wider rear axle and independent suspension, which makes it more stable and easier to handle than the 1.0, Micro Mobility Systems says on social media.
Aside from racing the first prototype, the company is also working on the second prototype of the five it plans to build before mass production. There’s a September 2021 delivery date for the Microlino 2.0, but it’s highly dependent on further developments and delays brought about by the international health crisis as with everything else these days.
That said, when it does reach customers, the Microlino 2.0 will come with either 125 km (78 miles) or 200 km (125 miles) of range on a single charge and a 15-kW (20-hp) rear-mounted motor with 110 Nm (81 lb-ft) of torque enabling a top speed of 90 kph (56 mph). Access inside is done by a hatch-like door that swings to the side, and despite the diminutive size, the Microlino can squeeze in two adults and some luggage.
Classified as an L7e vehicle (heavy quadricycle) in Europe, the Microlino 2.0 will start at €12,000 (approximately $14,500 at the current exchange rates).