A ‘MINIATURE’ EV with top speeds of 56mph is set to come to the UK “imminently”.
Swiss firm Microlino is gearing up to roll out its new micro electrical motor into the British market.
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Manufacturers are taking on rivals like the Citroen Ami and Silence S04 in the compact electric vehicle arena.
The new model boasts a 17-bhp electric motor reaching a top speed of 56 mph.
And the innovative car offers battery pack options ranging from 5.5 kWh to 15.0 kWh – with a range of up to 142 miles.
The vehicle also offers a sleeker design compared to previous models.
Bosses said the model is set to hit the UK streets “imminently” – with Microlino co-founder Oliver Ouboter telling Autocar that sales will kick off “before the summer“.
Despite delays, bosses said manufacturers are working on setting a robust sales infrastructure and marketing strategy.
However, the new Microlino will only be available in left-hand drive configurations.
Ouboter said the limitation is due to the productions costs related with developing a dedicated right-hand drive model.
Mr Ouboter told Motor1: “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.”
Microlino is set to deliver 300 units in the UK by the end of 2024.
Although official prices are yet to be confirmed, the new EV is selling for £15,400 for the base models and £18,800 for the largest 15.0-kWh battery pack.
In a bid to make affordable motors, Microlino recently unveiled the Lite at the Geneva Motor Show.
Swiss inventor Wim Ouboter started creating Micro Scooters 25 years ago and transformed the way people get around.
Since 1997, Ouboter’s family-owned Micro Mobility Systems business has sold more than 50 million scooters in 30 varying models and generated over £600m.
The firm also plans to partner with major city authorities such as Transport for London to bring entire fleets of Microlinos to be hired, just like electric scooters and bicycles.
It comes as a major car brand released a “sporty” version of a tiny EV that boasts a top speed of just 28mph.
Citroen’s quirky Ami, an incredibly small ‘quadricycle’ that’s perfect for city-dwellers, has proven popular since it was launched two years ago – racking up an impressive 43,000 sales.
The micro EV – which was reviewed by us back in late 2020 – is a mere 2.4 metres long, 1.4m wide, 1.5m high, and can do around 47 miles non-stop on a single charge.
