Automotive

Adorable Micro bubble car sizes so tiny, no license is required

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A Geneva Motor Show debut for the series production Microlino Lite electric micro-car
Micro
A Geneva Motor Show debut for the series production Microlino Lite electric micro-car
Micro
The Microlino Lite has a top speed of 45 km/h and a standard city range of 100 km per charge
Micro
The Microlino Lite drives as a L6e vehicle in Europe, meaning that some folks may not require a license
Micro
The Microlino Lite comes with a sunroof "for that convertible feeling in summer"
Micro
The inside of the front door has a bar for mounting a smartphone, which can be used for navigation
Micro
The Microlino Lite comes in Venice Blue and Berlin Anthracite
Micro
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We've seen a number of electric micro-cars aim for the hearts of city dwellers recently, such as the Mobilize Duo, S04 and the Ami. Arguably the cutest of the bunch is the Microlino EV bubble car, and now a Lite version is ready to roll.

It's somewhat fitting that the latest flavor of Micro's EV bubble is making its series debut at the Geneva Motor Show, as 2016's event was where the first Microlino model was unveiled. Following a production blip a couple of years later, the company treated the modern Isetta to a complete design overhaul followed by three launch editions.

Production of the first vehicles started in 2022, and deals were made for distribution in Belgium, Greece, France, Italy, the Netherlands and of course Switzerland. Now the Lite, which was also revealed in 2022, is being made ready for an early (Northern Hemisphere) summer rollout.

The Microlino Lite comes in Venice Blue and Berlin Anthracite
Micro

On the outside, it retains the adorable looks of its older sibling but is being aimed at folks who don't have a driving license as well as younger e-mobility users – in France and Italy, for example, drivers as young as 14 years of age will be able to get behind the wheel, though they will need a moped permit. It's rolls as a L6e vehicle in Europe, and is limited to a top speed of 45 km/h (28 mph).

"The Microlino Lite is our contribution to making sustainable mobility solutions accessible to an even wider community," said co-founder, Merlin Ouboter. "We recognize the growing need for such mobility, especially among those who want to be safe and protected from the weather without a driver's license."

The Microlino Lite comes with a sunroof "for that convertible feeling in summer"
Micro

On the spec sheet, there's a 6-kW motor that peaks at 9 kW, and it will ship with enough Li-ion battery for around 100 km (62 miles) of emissions-free city driving, but can be optioned with an 11-kWh pack for up to 180 km per charge. The standard battery can be topped up to 80% using a Type 2 charger in a couple of hours, while the larger battery option will take twice as long.

The body is fashioned from "high-strength" steel that's wrapped in an automotive-grade steel/aluminum skin, and it measures 2,519 x 1,473 x 1,501 mm (99 x 58 x 59 in) and tips the scales at 571 kg (1,258 lb), including the basic battery – more with the extended-range option.

The inside of the front door has a bar for mounting a smartphone, which can be used for navigation
Micro

There's seating for driver and passenger, who enter through the front, and the barebones dash has a digital instrument cluster, climate controls and a bar for mounting a smartphone. USB ports are onboard for topping up devices, an included heater can help keep the frost from biting, the rear window has its own heater too, and travel essentials or shopping can be stowed in the 230-liter truck.

The Microlino Lite is available in Venice Blue and Berlin Anthracite, and comes with an "attractive entry-level price" of CHF 149 per month (which converts to around US$169, though Micro told us that "we do not have any exact plans as to when we will launch on the American continent").

Product page: Microlino Lite

View gallery - 6 images
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11 comments
Baker Steve
If easy to enter and exit, this sort of thing could provide weatherproof transport for those otherwise considering an electric scooter.

(I am old enough to remember the original.)
josh kahan
best of all - saves the owner the cost of a coffin when..... on a more serious note - wicked cool. thanks for the info.
Fairly Reasoner
Pretty sure each jurisdiction will make its own determination on license requirements.
Aermaco
I wonder what speed it could handle after hacking the power train?,,, but cornering could be the limiter.

Add a suspension height adjustment system and it approaches ATV use,,,as well as approaching high-speed sidecar racing geometries.
However,, if too heavy on the brakes at speed ,, then a Forward Rool Bar frame is needed,,, could FRBs be a first in wheeled racing engineering ?;-)
Trylon
They don't have exact plans for the US because they can't launch here, at least not at the unlicensed market. For instance, in New York State, even mopeds require motorcycle or drivers licenses to operate, plus registration and insurance.
GLB
A caption under one picture states: "The Microlino Lite comes with a sunroof "for that convertible feeling in summer". The "sun roof" in the original Isetta was really an escape hatch in case there was a front end collision that damaged the door enough that it couldn't be opened. If it comes to the USA I'd have to be able to travel up to 35 MPH for traffic flow on city streets.
itsKeef
i think i will stick with the Messerschmitt Kabinenroller KR200 version...now that is cute. Anybody seen Terry Gilliams Brazil?
dcris
I will wait for anti gravity vehicle before I would want to compete for roadspace in an urban setting. There is a TV series that uses anti gravity vehicles that look like the 1950s and they all have a bumper car feature in case you bump into another one.
ReservoirPup
It's tiny, but the Renault Twizy/Mobilize Duo is even tinier. In terms of width Twizy is 30 cm slimmer! That's a lot for city centers. There are after market specimens of Twizy with a battery bigger than the bigger option for Microlino. You need to ride a whole day without charging to deplete it. And it's a bit cheaper than the new Microlino. So if you are not in love with this one or side-by-side seating there is a really tiny tandem to consider.
NatalieEGH
I think that price is severely off.

As to being legal in Illinois, registration, insurance, and driver's license would be required. It would also be illegal to go on most main roads (roads with speed limits in excess of 35mph) except to cross at stop lights. With that power is basically falls into having the restrictions for personal scooters for handicapped AND the requirements for an regular automobile. In my town one could get to almost any store but the driver would learn all the back roads.