The Microlino is back! A Swiss company has been commissioned to develop a new electric model, whose shapes and design are reminiscent of the iconic BMW Isetta. An eminently urban model that will practically not leave Switzerland but that will offer more than decent performance.
Microlino 2.0. This is the name of the modern replica of the old “egg” as it came to be known in Spain, the BMW Isetta that revolutionized the market for smaller cars at the hands of the Bavarians. A model that has tried to be reproduced in other minority manufacturers but whose plans were truncated for different reasons. Now, thanks to the Swiss Micro Mobility Systems AG, the electric urbanite has become a reality.
The new Microlino preserves intact the concept of the original model, with a tilting front that serves to access the interior and some more than contained measures –2.43 meters long, 1.50 meters wide and 1.43 meters high– the new Microlino offers a modern style highlighting the front and rear lights arranged in a thin strip of LEDs or the steering column separated from the door. The urbanite has a two-seater interior, a trunk of 200 liters, and in which there is a detail with two digital screens for the instrument panel and the automatic climate control.
The modern Microlino, an electric for city use
Ready for production, materializes after hard and long work on the advance presented at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, in which security has been one of the headaches. The manufacturer has used a tubular steel and aluminum structure to withstand the shocks, a solution that has also made it possible to mount an independent suspension that comes with twice the width at the rear axle, so stability increases.
Mechanically, the Microlino 2.0 will have a small electric motor whose power is unknown, but it does will reach a maximum speed of 90 km / h. The system will be powered by a lithium ion battery with two capacity levels: 8 and 14 kWh, which will provide a maximum autonomy of 120 and 200 kilometers, respectively. Those responsible for the new Microlino point out that the batteries have new cells with higher energy density, so they maximize the space inside.
The Microlino 2.0 will go into production in a factory in Turin, Italy, with everything ready for start next September, after the relevant approval of the European Union that they expect to receive at the end of this month of August. Although the manufacturer does not aspire to large-scale production, and sales to Switzerland are almost expected to be limited, its price can be a major problem in major markets such as Germany. It has been estimated a price of 12,000 Euros, disproportionate if we compare it with the Dacia Spring …