As congested city streets drive demand for compact electric vehicles, Swiss firm Microlino is poised to introduce its Isetta-inspired electric quadricycle to the UK. The micro electric car will go against the Citroen Ami and Silence S04 on the market, offering a higher top speed and a more refined overall concept.
Microlino co-founder Oliver Ouboter disclosed to Autocar that the company is on the brink of commencing sales "before the summer" in the UK, with plans underway to establish a robust sales infrastructure and marketing strategy. Despite Brexit-related logistical considerations delaying the UK launch, Ouboter affirmed the company's confidence in the market's potential, citing a "huge potential in the UK." Unfortunately, the initial availability will be limited only to left-hand drive configurations due to the high R&D and production costs of a dedicated RHD model.
Gallery: Microlino 2.0 and Microletta
“What we primarily want to focus on in the UK is on the category L7e, which goes up to 90 kph [56 mph]. We think this is much more a replacement of a car than something that drives only 45 kph. And so, in that category, actually, there is not so many competitors,” Oliver Ouboter told the publication.
Positioned within the heavy-quadricycle (L7e) classification, akin to the Renault Twizy, the Microlino has a 17-bhp electric motor and a top speed of 56 mph. With battery pack options ranging from 5.5 kWh to 15.0 kWh, the Microlino offers claimed ranges of up to 142 miles.
Microlino: this is what you get for your money
The company sets an ambitious target of 300 UK deliveries by the end of 2024. Prices for Britain are yet to be confirmed but in Europe, the electric car starts at €17,990 (£15,400) for the base version and goes up to €21,990 (£18,800) for the largest 15.0-kWh battery pack.
In a bid to expand accessibility to sustainable mobility solutions, Microlino recently unveiled the Microlino Lite at the Geneva Motor Show. Positioned as an L6e version of the Microlino, the Lite variant offers comparable range while limiting the top speed to 28 mph.
Source: Autocar