It started promised for the end of 2017, then skidded to 2019. In 2020 it entered testing, with the horizon of starting production in 2021. And, at the beginning of last year, it scheduled the delivery of the first units for September 2021. It turns out that, nothing yet! We are talking about the Microlino, a small (2.4 meters) and light (535 kg) electric vehicle that clearly evokes the Isetta of the 60s, with the intention of asserting itself as “the iPad of mobility”. For this, we will have to start producing (forever) and that is what it finally happenedwith the company responsible for the project, the Swiss Micro Mobility AG, broadcasting a video of the CECOMP factory where efforts are focused on building the latest pre-series units.
The production line, located in Turin, Italy, is already operational and is expected to be able to manufacture a Microlino every 20 minutes while operating at cruising speed. occupies 3000 mtwo and currently employs 100 workers. In the posted video, Micro Mobility AG is proud to have designed a microcar in which “more than 80% of the pieces” come from European countries. And he has just scheduled, for the next day 12, the revelation of the Limited edition Pioneer series, which will be the first to be delivered to customers.
But that is not the only source of pride for the Zurich-based company. Micro Mobility promotes the Microlino as a green vehicle through and through, arguing that the sustainability of this proposal goes beyond the fact that it is 100% electric. According to the brand, the Microlino “needs less energy than any other car”, both in driving and in the production itself, which allows it to claim 65% less energy consumption. Then, as it has “50% fewer parts” (without the brand confirming which reference the comparison is based on), it continues to save the environment and the driver’s license, which supposedly will have less maintenance costs.
Switzerland and Germany will be the first countries to receive the Microlino
The information that is available on the site, and that is supposed to be up-to-date, continues to advertise a base price of €12,500, 230 km of autonomy and 90 km/h of maximum speed. However, these are the most striking values to communicate. The entry price refers to the Urban versionequipped with the smallest capacity battery (6 kWh) and therefore with less autonomy (95 kilometers). The autonomy of 230 km between connections to the socket should be approved by Microlino Competizione (the brand mentions a “sports mode capable of attracting attention at traffic lights”), with a 14 kWh battery. There will also be an intermediate version, called Dolce, whose accumulator (10.5 kWh) allows the Microlino to travel 175 km with a full charge.
With a monoblock structure, instead of tubular, as is usual in models of this class of vehicles, the Microlino wants to convince in terms of safety, so much so that concerns about weight were relegated to the background at the door. The entire body is made of aluminum, to be lighter, but the door is reinforced with steel. In terms of power, the modern Isetta outperforms old BMW single-cylinder four-strokeby mounting an electric motor with 12.5 kW/16.8 hp (vs. 9.6 kW/13 hp) and 100 Nm of torque (vs. 14.2 Nm before at 4,500 rpm).
Source: Observadora
