BMW Isetta clone Microlino is in the starting blocks
The Microlino cabin scooter is slated to hit the market this year. (Photo: Microlino)
No time right now?
The Swiss manufacturer Micro has reorganized the small electric car. The Isetta clone should go into production in September. The second prototype has meanwhile seen some improvements compared to its predecessor.
The latest prototype is based on a self-supporting body made of aluminum and steel instead of a tubular space frame. Despite its low weight of 513 kilograms, it fulfills high safety standards. As with the historical model, the driver gets on the cabin scooter via a large front door. Another passenger can be seated in the car. A fabric hood adorns the roof and is supposed to create a bit of a convertible feeling in summer. The Swiss keep the interior simple: in addition to a central display, only a few switches disturb the minimalist interior.
The manufacturer has significantly upgraded the chassis of the Microlino. (Photos: Micro)
New schedule: approval in summer, production in autumn
In addition to technical details, Micro has published another schedule. After the Microlino was supposed to roll off the production line in 2017, the startup pushed the date back further and further. 6,500 pre-orders later expected series production in 2019, but nothing came of that either. Last year Micro announced the start of production for this year. Currently it is said that a number of prototypes and pre-production models will be built by the summer in order to receive EU approval in August. According to the company, there are now 17,000 customers waiting for the “kiss ball”. Production should start in September.
A new schedule provides for the market launch in September. (Graphic: Micro)
Technical data unchanged
Either a battery with 8 or 14.4 kilowatt hours supplies the Microlino with electricity. The company specifies four hours of charging time from a conventional socket. With a full charge, the car can travel 125 or 200 kilometers. The eleven kilowatt motor accelerates it to a maximum of 90 kilometers per hour. For the basic model, the manufacturer demands a purchase price of around 12,000 euros. Along with the press release, he published a new one Video in which the new prototype of the cabin scooter is driving.
