Already presented as a prototype, the Microlino has just unveiled in a pre-production version. The commercialization of this small electric car should start at the end of 2018, at a price of € 12,000.
For Wim Ouboter, part of Micro, the idea of marketing an adult scooter came from his daily life. His favorite sandwich shop was just a stone's throw away from his office, a bit too far to walk, a bit too close to consider getting the bike out of the basement. The next, we know it: it was the dazzling success of scooters in the 2000s, where the Swiss brand has built up a good reputation.
With the Microlino, Wim Ouboter tackles a new entre-deux: the one that exists between the bike and the automobile. The idea is to design a small electric vehicle, compact and primarily intended for urban journeys. This is reminiscent of the Renault Twizy. Moreover Microlino belongs like the latter to the category of heavy quadricycles, accessible from 16 years with the license B1. But unlike the latter, the small Swiss car intends to offer a heated and weatherproof cabin. That could plead in his favor.
The Microlino, a modern Isetta
Stylistically, the inspiration is obvious: the Microlino is a modern interpretation of the Isetta, the Italian cart of the 1950s made famous by BMW who manufactured it under license. The volumes are smooth and round, with the main characteristic of a front door, which facilitates access when parked facing the sidewalk. A fancy allowed by the small dimensions: a width of 1.50 m and a length of 2.44 m.
If Micro has the infrastructure to produce its scooters in China, building a car in series is another problem. After calling on a Chinese subcontractor for the first prototype, it was towards Tazzari that the Swiss team finally turned for this new iteration very close to the series. This Italian company originally specialized in aluminum production diversified in the 2000s with the Zero, an electric car today available in a complete range. It is therefore in the Imola plant that Microlino will be manufactured, at least for the European market.
To ensure the success of its first car, Micro intends to contain the price under € 12,000. To do this, engineers still have to work to reduce costs on certain points. That's why this pre-production version is only 90% faithful to the one that will be marketed. The main modification compared to the first prototype concerns the front door now framed around the entire perimeter, because of a flatter windshield. If this reduces the cost of this last piece, the dead angle seems to be clearly increased.
A top speed of 90 km / h
The technical data sheet is definitive and is constrained by the regulations in force governing the heavy quadricycles category. That is, the power is limited to 15 kW and the top speed is 90 km / h. Thanks to a relatively generous torque for the 110 Nm class, the accelerations promise a certain vivacity, with a 0 to 50 km / h in 5 seconds. Similarly, the weight does not exceed 450 kg without battery (just over 500 kg with).
With regard to the battery, two options will be proposed: one of 8 kWh, offering a range of 120 km and another of 14.4 kWh, for a radius of action of 215 km. In both cases, it is lithium batteries, offered for purchase and not for rent as on the Twizy. The 300-liter trunk is larger than on the latter, or even on a Smart Fortwo. Still, any sales of the small French quadricycle are not necessarily a good omen for this nice project. At an equivalent price, it would seem that customers prefer to turn to a real car more versatile.