The Roadster's Return

It looks like the BMW Isetta: the Microlino made by the Swiss company Micro. But the cute smooch ball is not simply retro. It redefines eco-friendly and space-saving urban mobility. The Microlino should reach the German market in the first quarter of 2023. By Sigrid Riewe-Scholz

Wim Ouboter, founder of Micro shot to world fame with his invention of the kickboard micro scooter. Twenty-three years ago, he not only revolutionized how people get around urban areas, but also laid the foundation stone for the current micro mobility trend. The fully electric and emission-free city speedster Microlino is Micro’s latest coup. The lightweight electric four-wheeled quadracycle classified in EU vehicle class L7e represents a new category of vehicle between motorcycle and automobile and is designed to combine the best of both. On average, conventional cars only transport 1.2 persons and are driven just 35 kilometres per day. This makes them much too big and too heavy for daily use, said the Microlino maker.

Mobility vision on four wheels
The e-vehicle especially developed for urban environments can reach speeds up to 90 km/h and is available in three battery versions. They offer a range of up to maximal 230 kilometres and are re-charged in just four hours from a domestic power outlet – like a smartphone. Two people can sit beside each other in the chic city speedster, and with a volume of 230 litres, the boot can easily hold three crates of beer. Thanks to compact dimensions of 2.52 metres (l) by 1.47 metres (w) and 1.50 metres (h), drivers need no longer worry about finding a place to park; three Microlinos easily cross-park on one normal slot. The front-opening door allows passengers to get out directly on the pavement when cross-parked. Although light, the Microlino has a self-supporting unibody structure made of steel and aluminium which is safer, stronger and more enduring than the tubular frame common in this class and the synthetic materials used in comparable vehicles. 

The first Microlinos of the limited Pioneer Series are already on the road in Switzerland. To prepare the way for the first Microlinos to roll on the streets of Germany, Spain, and other European countries, the Swiss micro mobility supplier has sealed a strategic partnership with the international automobile sales group Astara. Prices take off at around 15,000 Euro. The manufacturers say that over 35,000 Microlinos have already been reserved.