@@xavierrochas Pff, yeah right, keep dreaming. It starts at €20.000 with the tiny battery, what country has a €10.000 EV subsidy? Pretty much every single country has ended all their grants by now, not that they were ever that high anyway.
@@b.d.a.8719 Yeah I don't get who's buying these. I could totally see a market for a 45km/h 'golf cart'-style microcar at a €3.000-€6.000 price point. I could also see a market for a highway speed micro-EV (like the Smart EQ) at a €10.000-€20.000 price point. But a limited speed, "not a car", for €20.000+? That just doesn't make any sense to me.
That was my first thought! It’s almost identical from the door to the headlight placement and rear wheel placement. Probably one of the most accurate looking retro throwbacks I’ve ever seen.
Jack Scarlett, this from your 91-year-old American fan. You are without-a-doubt, the best, most-charming hustler on TH-cam in the whole world! Always delighted to see you turn-up as the presenter on wonderful micro-vehicles or whatever! Best regards, Bob Campbell
Nice idea keeping it simple, but 15-20k is a bit much. For the Northern market they might want to think of being able to swap out the fabric sunroof for a hard top for it to be more water tight in winter weather.
There are different versions starting at 15k with no roof. It is more expensive because it is produced in italy and the company has to deal with swiss regulations but the main cost comes from not completely treating their workers like shit as most chinese produced products do. But i get that the price is a bit too high
What I love the most about the microlino is the minimalism in extra features: NO electric windows, NO electric sunroof, NO Infotainment system, NO power breaking or steering, NO electric mirror adjustment. This car will be so much easier to maintain, just because there's less to go wrong!
Yes, the most reassuring scene in this vid was that first scan of an actual assembly line. Not a light warehouse with one prototype in the middle that might sort of work, but a real factory. This type of thing, like a modern version of the post-WWII boom in weird but practical transport from mopeds to scooters to bubble cars is exactly what I think's needed. With no need to aspire let alone achieve attaining to owning a big EV for most of us
And far more efficient, and probably more fun tbh, than similarly priced Zero electric bikes. Of course everyone will say just do a 21kwh version to push range beyond that magic 200 miles...
I really want a single cast version of this like Tesla could do. Get the price down with massive volume. Since it wouldn't need very many batteries it wouldn't be battery constrained. If you can build them cheap enough there's practically a limitless market.
@@grahammonk8013 aside from the big automakers, this is the way the first off the line are built for every fully new model. You do a semi-automatic assembly line before you sink a large sum of money into tooling.
I love that the Isetta has been re-born! I recognize those bubble cars from TV shows and car books. I always complain that most people (like myself) have too big of a car for transporting just themself and a couple of small boxes, and there are very few cars that are just that without a giant engine. This thing can also go fast enough so that you won't hold up larger cars.
You know why BMW didn’t continue with the Isetta? It was a death trap. No escape after a front crash. Door jammed and additionally blocked by the accident obstacle. Either the steering column intrusion killed you or you burned to death with no chance to escape. Bon voyage, I rather remain with my SUV and survive.
Been watching the trials and tribulations of this lovely little car for a couple of years. Great to see it is really happening now - and the developments and improvements that have taken place. 🤗
@@sroberts605 internet. TMI was going to build the Microlino, Artega took over TMI and developed their own variant of the Microlino (a barely modified copy), the Artega Karo. They obviously got sued by Microlino, then reached a settlement where both would build their own variants. Artega went bankrupt again (first time was 2012) in May this year and has been taken over by the German company Electric Brands (about to launch their Xbus) and should put the Karo (under a different name) in production somewhere next year. Cecomp in Turin is the current producer of the Microlino.
@@ponponpatapon9670 I liked those American designs too. American build most of the the items way practical though. From consumer electronics to fighter jets. All are very practical yet robust.
@@biswajeetsingh4994 They are not so robust as you might think. International made robust trucks in the past because they were BTL. Modern trucks are not BTL they are rather built to break early.
That is the principal issue with verhicle manufacturing. Whats expensive is the technology inside, not the sheet metal. Since on the same level of engineering/comfort features a larger vehicle mostly uses just additional sheet metal (which is cheap), you get visible things for you money there. This is the reason why small vehicles tend to be very very expensive for their size.
@@aresivrc1800 Its really more a principal issue with EVS right now. Theyre extremely simple technology, thats how newcomers like byd, tesla and these guys can suddenly compete with automakers, where before that wasnt really possible since they were all decades ahead in engine design/building. But their problem is, batteries are expensive and heavy, thats why we only really get big expensive evs right now. Noone buys a small city car at the prices they would have to be sold at to be economically viable, so they dont exist. Things like the E-Up were sold at a loss and subsidized with the profits from the hybrid/ice versions build in the same chassis, thats why they were reasonably priced, but you couldnt buy them because barely any were made.
The Wulu bingo is packed with features and 4 doors with far more range and usability. For about 10 thousand dollars. The reason this is so ridiculously expensive is probably the amount they had to pay BMW for the right to make them.
Where I live 60 percent of the population couldn't even fit one person in that tiny car ! The hills round here are so steep you would have to leave it in town as it would not get up the hill to the house.
Since the start I've said that EV design is completely pointless. We had a perfect opportunity to re-invent what a car is and one of the key directions would be to go smaller and more efficient. Instead, we've gone for HGV style monstrosities weighting more than a cruise ship and consuming energy and materials worse than the worst excesses of ICE cars. This little car is definitely headed in the right direction. Excellent.
Jack Scarlett, you are the absolutely greatest pitchman. Now that that is out of the way, I love the Microlino! Unfortunately I am a 90-year old geezer with macular degeneration. In short my vision is so bad I had to quit driving. So no Microlino for me! But, I have the enjoyment of watching you do your thing. And no one does it as well as you do!!! Regards, Bob Campbell
Double spaced after the period. Proper grammar. Well put together. And the youthfulness of 4 exclamation marks. How beautiful is this comment. Thanks Bob!
@@raisukhwani Double-spaces after a period is not proper. It's something that had a brief popularity decades ago but was never "correct". A single space between words is sufficient to simplify reading so why should a period and two spaces between sentences be expected to do anything more than a period and a single space? Try reading text with extra spaces between words and letters and you'll see that superfluous spaces can actually make reading more difficult. When talking about EVs, we need to show proper appreciation for efficiency. ;)
@@anusriskandarajah4600 the guy is true to his time, yet excited about the cutting edge tech and socially engaged enough to leave such a comment. We should appreciate that!
@@raisukhwani His time? I believe the practise actually enjoyed a vogue among typists due to the monowidth of typewriter fonts. It faded when word processing's proportional fonts took over. Typesetters never used it. Anyway, I wasn't complaining about his use of double-spacing after a period but rather your endorsement of it.
@@anusriskandarajah4600 you are complaining about an endorsement I never made. Acknowledging a fact is not endorsement of it. I hope this stops the complaining.
The gearbox noise in this EV is actually a REALLY good thing... aural and visual stimuli to the brain significantly affect assessment of actual speed. People drive a lot faster in modern quiet ICE cars with no wind noise, engine noise, tyre rumble, etc.. the tranquillity dulls the senses... resulting in more accidents at higher speeds.
@@ravenouself4181 That's not a bad idea. The sound system usually is powered by a separate (12v) battery from the one that drives the vehicle (at least in most EVs - I don't know about this one). Usually EVs make such an added noise at low speeds (up to 40kph) to alert pedestrians but it cuts out at higher ones. The view is the road and wind noise above that speed is sufficient to alert pedestrians. The idea of adding noise to give the driver audible feedback about their speed deserves consideration. However it would be competing with whatever you are listening to on the sound system and it isn't as precise as a speedometer - which you are supposed to be paying attention to anyway. For myself, I prefer cruise control and miss it on my i-MiEV. Set the speed to the local limit or whatever conditions permit and pay attention to the road. I also like to complain about the noise that smog machines make - especially inside the cabin - and am not really keen on recreating it.
Cool, definitely reminds me of my parents 1958 BMW Isetta. We (kids) would drive it around the front yard of our house learning to drive before we were old enough to get a license.
yeah, my mother had an isetta. a three wheeler, as she didnt have a driving licence for a car....it could be driven with a motorbike licence! it was left hand drive and the gear lever was in the side panel just like a racing car of that age! I loved it as a kid, I had my own steering wheel to "drive" it with ( stuck on the front windscreen by a sucker, i used to stand on the seat ( it didnt have seat belts) and stick my head out of the sunroof with a huge grommet smile on my face, happy days. It was a problem when it broke down ( it did frequently) as my dad had to tow it 15 miles to an isetta specialist. I still love to see the original isettas at classic car shows today.
It's clearly a rip off of the Isetta. But I'm more disappointed that the guy in the video didn't know that or ignored it and praised the current "designer" in the intro.
When I was in grammar school the basketball team put the coach's Isetta on top of another car. No harm done, but it took a while for him to collect enough people to get it back down. Ah, memories!
Really just makes me wish the new ownership of smart won't completely abandon the fortwo. I'm currently using a 15 years old ICE fortwo (budget doesn't allow me to have anything more expensive), and for me personally, this would do fine, but when I drive my old mom for shopping, the fortwo's perfection, whereas she just wouldn't be able to get out of it when we'd arrive (and the driver can't even get out to help the passenger). So again: smart, if you're reading this: Don't forget about your roots!
I've found that EVs have a lower cost of ownership (especially with the price of gas these days). My brother, who drives a lot, found that he could pay for a Tesla on the amount he was saving driving to and from work. Admittedly, he was driving a big pickup truck... However the only real problem with EVs is their availability.
@@Ben-oy1td Certainly true. I just hope the very-small-city-car market won't just be old smarts and the microlino. ;) The Dacia Spring's too big for my purpose.
I love lightweight cars without power steering. This is the type of car I have been hoping for. Simple. No popout exterior door handles, no mood lighting, etc. LOVE IT
Brilliant! I'm 6'1" 200 lbs and had a 67 Austin Healy Sprite in my youth. Tiny, tiny little car but it was a two-seater and I fit just fine. Plenty of leg room and handled like a dream. Top speed was 60-65 mph, but I didn't mind it if I was driving it on a windy mountain road. I honestly felt that if I raced the average Porsche (down hill) that I would win simply because it felt like it was glued to the road at all time. Pure joy. This car sounds like a modern version in a way. I hope they come to the US soon!
As a perfectly average 30 year old Brit, I miss my micro scooter, and often wish I had it back, but with two extra wheels and a 10kWh battery. Thanks Jack, fantastic video as always!
@@etherospike3936 The spark isn't available in the UK ( it might never be released for the UK market). I thought the Twizzy was a "quadricycle", though I'm not sure what the definition of that is? One of the versions has a similar 50mph top speed.
I love it and I want it, especially the babyblue one. I was really hoping that the switch to EVs gives us back the small, fun and quirky cars we had until the early 2000s and it seems I will not be disappointed.😁
It is way way way overpriced. Base model is 15k euros. Citroen Ami base model is 7.7k pounds (around 8750 euros). You can buy a lot of used electric cars under 15k, like the Renault Zoe.
In today's news: Used vehicles are cheaper than buying new! The new Zoe is nearly £30k. I do agree it's too expensive from a UK point of view, but if you live in an Italian old town, might be worth the premium. ...only time will tell.
The Citroën Ami is a total POS tho. 75km max range and 45 kmh top speed? That's bad even if you do only city driving. And ooooh used cars are cheaper than new ones, what a shocker
@@CheesusCrustus problem is that it’s more like a fortwo but not safe looking and they do go for the same amount plus it looked a bit bumpy on city roads which seemed odd as that’s it’s natural environment
It's an honest price, the Ami is literally HALF the "car". It's got half the power, half the top speed, and 1/4 less range than the base version. For comparison: a Nobe 100GT with 218km of range costs 50% over a top spec Microlino.
This is, by far, one of the best EV reviews you have ever done! Thank you for the excellent review and I really hope the Microlino makes its way across Europe, and maybe, just maybe, over here to North America. I would love to try and review one. Thanks again for a job well done.
I would totally see this car being used in a car sharing service! I know Daimler tried it and failed, but if they could understand the secret sauce other services have, this would make so much sense for a point A2B system! I don’t know why but I find the EV revolution to produce a bunch of really quirky vehicles and I love it! This level of experimentation will eventually boil down to a more stable and refined form. This will allow access to anyone from a price point perspective. Exciting times!
Weight and aerodynamis are two completely different things. A car thats very light but has terrible aerodynamics will still consume more fuel (depending on the speed of course). And a car with great aerodynamics but high weight can still be very efficient at constant and high speeds.
Twizy owner here. This car seems to draw a lot of inspiration from it (the portable speaker is EXACTLY what I did with my Twizy). The pleasure you get from driving the Microlino sounds exactly like how I feel driving my Twizy. Keeping my eyes on this cute little EV as its successor in a couple of years.
If only Renault would do a 2nd version, designed with decent doors and for northern Europe, then they might make more of a success of it.. Or they just make the Microlino under licence ;-)
Been an early reservation holder for quite some time now, and it's amazing to see it actually in production :) Hopefully this makes its way across the pond to Canada, an absolute perfect city car.
This is so cool! I love the Bench seats, it would allow you to sit closer to your partner and feel like you’re with them. Most cars have a huge divider in the middle and you always feel like you’re a mile away
@@ooooneeee I have kids, but even without, there’s always weekend getaways, longer evening trips and sometimes buying larger items etc I would rather just have a bike or an ebike. This could replace an ebike during winter months when it’s freezing though, but why not just take the bus or walk? Or have a regular EV for all purposes?
I'm thinking this would be a really great self-driving taxi at some point when the proper software becomes available. It's perfect for grocery runs and other light shopping or taking you home from a party. As a commuter car, it makes a lot of sense, especially with the smallest-battery version.
Very happy with your positive review. I had an Isetta ( 3 wheeler ) 60 years and loved it - had a ball with it. In the last ten years I had been thinking how suitable it would be for electrification . . . and now they have done it. I think the steering wheel that folded out with the door was less obstructive. This would be much more suitable for a mum to run the child to school than a ‘ Chelsea Tractor ‘ 😏
If you're already in a 2 car household this makes a lot of sense. What you need for an everyday commute (assuming public transport isn't a feasible option) is different to what you need for road trips etc.
This is a big issue with EVs. The assumption by the regulators is that everyone 'commutes' to work; same route day after day, into the city or town centre. This first foray into EVs is a triumph of Hope over Reality. Until there is a huge leap forwards in battery and charging technology, EVs will remain a very expensive niche product.
@@terencejay8845 manufacturers always cater to the majority because that's where the money is. People whose work involves driving all day do need a different solution to the majority of the population who drive 20-60 minutes to the same workplace every day.
@@vfr800ch there's no reason to assume that, I mean it could be better it could be worse for all we know. I wouldn't assume correlation between price and quality generally speaking, it's kind of like trying to steal your own hat
As a previous owner of a Microcar MC2 I can affirm you don't need a big, heavy, powerful car to have fun. In fact it is the LAST thing you need. Looks like it's a blast.
@@jgbee2726 Ah yes, when you need to tow something twice a year, let's just buy a massive ass SUV instead of, i don't know, renting one for a day or two?
People say 15 to 20k is too much don't know average Harley is 25k Honda Goldwing is 30k and both are motorcycles Point here you get weather protection stability and fun factor plus EV I'll buy one
I really do like the looks (I’m just old enough to remember a few biubble cars), my concern with all of the micro cars is not actually with them but with the effect that the ridiculus 4x4 SUVs would have on them in a crash and that needs to be resolved. A mass migration to smaller cars has got to be a good idea
Since childhood I’ve liked the Isetta, but the 250/300cc single cylinder motorcycle derived engine kept me from getting one. With the Microlino I’ll finally get to enjoy one! 😉
@@Radfordperson Not to knock the engine itself. As you wrote, it was not bad. Just not the power source I wanted to propel even a small, but not very light car.
The microlino would be perfect for me, because I am not a fan of bigger cars. The fact that it is electric is also a plus, and being able to pull it up to a sidewalk and get out easily is such a wonderful idea. Hopefully we can get them here in the US really soon, because I could get around the city easier.
Yeah, weight is everything. I guess that's the reason my electric skateboard offers ~65 miles/KWh instead of the 8.8miles of the microlino... My only concern is having to share the road with 2ton Heavy Teslas. It would be great our current road network was re-classified, where cars should primarily drive on high-speed infrastructure, while a network of urban and rural roads could be dedicated to micro-cars and other modes of transportation.
I hope that with production scaling, cars like this will come closer to 10k €, then they will become really successful. Currently, a used 2015 Zoe is probably a better option for a small EV with okay-ish range.
Mass production can reduce price tag but principal issue is that you just cant get the technology of a car inside a remote safe package without approaching 15000 €.
I really hope they manage to make it cheaper, well under £10k. At the moment it's more expensive than the Dacia Spring which seems a more attractive option.
Guess it depends on the country. In my area the starting price of the Dacia Spring is just under the maximum price for the Microlino. But dont forget; a bare bones VW Polo by now is in many regions touching 30k already. For a Microlino at below 10k sacrifices would need to be made in range, durability or safety. Or step down a category to the Ami and Carver with limited 45km/h topspeed.
I'd get this if it was offered in the USA. I live in the countryside on a farm; and it would be nice to have something other than my work truck to use for travel into town, to the coast, or the mountains. They'd be competing with the SOLO and the Arcimoto as the microcars/ autocycles most prevalent in the region; but, they've definitely got better efficiency and packaging than the local options.
@@kristoffer3000 I wouldn't go that far. It is cool enough to not be considered a mobility scooter, but at the same time it can't be the only car. You still need an actual car for longer trips or larger family. That's why I don't think too many people can afford a £15k second little car.
Even the small cars in Turin, Italy are very sensible - note the decently sized side and back windows!! Looks as if you could actually see out of the car windows, while in the U.S. even the small cars have those horrendous, small, tilted windows which do not afford easy visibility, if any. I no longer have a vehicle, but, if I did, I would even take out the damn head rests, so I can see the vehicle's surroundings.
I like how Factory Guy calls out the aggressive look of so many modern cars. But that's what most people are buying now, which I guess means a lot of people have some serious rage issues that they want to express with their vehicles.
Thanks for bring the lust back to life. My first two cars in the 1960s were BMW Isettas, one three wheel, one four wheel model and I loved them. I am saving up for one of these.
@@briananthony4044 I just looked it up, it's the BMW 600. Iso was an Italian sports car manufacturer that made Isetta for BMW, and the last BMW Isetta badge was the 300. So same car kinda, but twice the engine volume and number of seats. Isetta means the small (car from) Iso. I guess technically the 600 is not small enough for the label, but everyone still calls it the Isetta 600. 🤗
Wow that price tag is a lot more than I was expecting! Jack you talked about the quality of the interior but all I noticed straight away was the wire hanging down on the rear screen and the flakey front edge where the sunroof closes. Thanks for another great review.
It's a bubble car! When I was a teenager, they were quite popular. We had a teacher in the school I went to, had one, and some of the sixth formers managed to put up on the roof of the school. I never found out how he got it back down again
To me it's just wonderful. I live in Australia in the country but I'd buy one of these because it's small, 2 seater and of reasonable cost. I just want one. The problem will be choosing the colour, they are all so beautiful. Thanks Jack, brilliant as ever.
Trouble is our Nanny State here in Oz would insist on ridiculous requirements. Requirements which no other country will insist on. The new Mini springs to mind. The Oz Mini had the world's biggest tacho because Oz insisted that the speedo couldn't be centre of dash. They'll want something similarly stupid with this modern Isetta if it ever gets here....
@@logotrikes Yet a centre dash speedo is allowed for other cars. The new LDV van has one. Belive me it's really anoying and not as safe having to look all that way across.
These are fantastic! I really hope that they're available in the UK in the near future! I used t have a Smart Four 2 as a company car for around town here in the Poole & Bournemouth area and absolutely loved it! For our business it was a great tool for advertising and a great conversation starter. I really want one!! As long as I can get my labrador in it I'll be ordering one in green and white!
What a fun little car. I love the efficiency and the retro style. The next generation of cars do need to be super ligera. Given the speeds this will do, the price tag of more than double a Citroen Ami is not too hard to justify. Good work Jack bringing us the type of car we are have all been demanding. I like the way you don't just stick it to the Tesla fan boys but also poke a stick at the MX-5 faithfully. Is there know car you want tease? My job now is to convince the family that we need one.
What a beautifully designed little thing. Reminds me of the feeling when the Smart City Coupe was launched and I thought, “I have to have one”. Now on my 7th! It’s not often that something this unique comes along these days. Only concern is crash safety which isn’t a worry in the Smart, thanks to the Tridion.
Careful with na mx 5 criticism. The engine power and suspension is an absolute perfection in balance on every front. It was artistry in mass production.
My brother had a "bubble car" in 1966. It was brilliant. I seem to remember there was no reverse gear. I would love to own one of these now I'm nearly 70.
I’ve always had micro & small cars, the first the Honda 600, then the Trojan by Heinkel, Renault 5, then 3 smart cars, Smart is my favourite. These new models should sell for £10,000 to get us really interested!
@@yapproger For it to make an impact on the environment it has to be at a price where many people can buy it, not just a handful of middle class people looking to park it next to the big SUV.
@@yapproger How can it be green when it keeps on propagating the idea that we all need a car for transportation? It may not be as bad as a big hungry SUV, but it's only slightly better.
Have been covering and waiting for production on this for yeeeeears. Makes me happy to see you expose it to a broader audience, and to see it being produced and on the road. I hope some day our i3 looks more like an SUV to you and me when in any city!
You're right, Jack. I really DO want it. Doubt they'll ever bring it to this side-of-the-pond, unfortunately. I'd love to have one for driving around town!
@@andreiionescu205 They're not street-legal in the US, they mention it in the FAQs on their website: "Due to a different legal situation in the USA, the Microlino US version will have to undergo some design changes."
The BMW Isetta is back, Remember them from my childhood! Perfect could park everywhere though it had the rear wheels close together, but same front door and side lights but the steering wheel hinged on the door! Also I like that electric propulsion is converging towards the ideal vehicle sizewise. There was a reason cars were small after WW2, and the situation today is similar. We are resource constrained when it comes to battery supply and likewise emissions, and we might soon find ourselves in a world of recession (1 EUR/kWh), so this is really foresight by this "car" company to react to the turn of times.Not only low weight makes an EV efficient a small motor does too. A tesla might have a peak efficiency of 97% but that is at 150 HP, a far cry from where a car usually spends its life resulting in poor efficiency at low speeds. A Model 3 motor is only 72% efficient at 30 mph.
I absolutely love the Microlino!, have done ever since I saw the first videos of it a couple of years ago, just the most fantastic little city car. I really, really hope it makes it to the UK🤞 Just to clarify though, light weight does not make aerodynamics redundant. The reason the Microlino doesn't need to be aerodynamic is because it only does 50mph, not because it is so light.
I've fancied a bubble-car for a while now and I've been hoping someone would create on for the 21st Century (ie electric). I doubt I'll be in a position to buy one in the short term but it's nice to see them come into existence
Excellent video! Fully Charged actually goes digging for new developments and shares them quickly. I had never heard of this M-Cro EV. Sounds Switzerland has another Swatch-like product to bring to the world.
Saw this at the Paris Motor Show last week. It's easy to get in and out of and surprisingly comfortable to sit in. It's very reminiscent of the Isetta, but with an extra wheel for stability and of course, it's an EV. For a second car or someone that doesn't rack up the miles, this is a great solution.
A very pretty death trap. The bodywork between your ankles and front bumper is the spring used to absorb the impact of a collision. There's a reason why cars the size of a mini cooper stopped being built after the 80's
When the Transport Road Research Laboratory was asked to crash test a G-Wiz, it refused to put its crash test dummies in one. The lab said that the dummies were too expensive and it didn't think they would survive the crash. Microlino looks like it has less of a crumple zone than the G-Wiz. I'd still buy one though.
if your city is designed properly -- almost all roads 30 km/h, only a few non-junction ones 50 km/h, and maybe a ring motorway for 80 km/h -- then collision fatalities are near zero. This is where the Microlino has potential. But for an American city of high-speed stroads, you are right, it would be unsafe. Safer than a motorbike or scooter, though.
@@martian9999 I'm in London we have 20mph limits (32km/h) enforced with cameras, the Microlino could probably drive in and out of the potholes that cover more of the roadspace than actual road. I've given up trying to use the heavier of my too bicycles.
@@martian9999 This depends entirely on the country that your perfectly designed city is in. The UK has 30mph limits in urban environments which is faster than 30kph. Even the highest rated "crash safe" cars struggle to remain "safe" more than a handful of mph over 30 due to the exponential energy derived from velocity (e = 1/2mv2). Safe is defined by the safety cockpit around the passenger compartment remaining uncompromised; the more energy the harder it is. But that's not really the problem, it's perfectly possible to build a passenger compartment that is circa 200mph+ "safe" and has been since the 90s. The problem is the deceleration of the passengers in a non-deflecting environment is unsurvivably massive even at lower speeds because your internal organs keep going at that speed even as your body is restrained by seatbelts, and splash themselves across the front of your torso. The bonnet area is literally designed as a shock absorber to slow the safe cockpit area down at a survivable rate for its passengers. There is no spring on this vehicle. The cockpit can be built to survive any reasonable impact the vehicle might face. You aren't.
@@ossirioth well, to repeat, you need a 20 mhp (30 km/h) speed limit. Perfectly reasonable, as it reduces pedestrian deaths by 75%, enables lighter cars such as the Microlino, and doesn't really reduce transport speed (re: Smeed's Law).
I adore this. I like small cars, and this takes the biscuit! I am only five foot six, so there would be room for my Patterdale Terrier as well! At the moment I haven an eighteen year old Mini One [R50], and this looks to have more room in the front seats than the Mini. I gave a lift to a very tall friend of mine last week, and for him to fit the passenger seat had to be so far back that only a match-stick person would have fitted behind! Got the Terrier in though! I really hope this comes to the UK. The furthest I drive in a day is about thirty miles, and once a year I travel 200 miles to Norfolk. For that I would simply hire a car, if I had one of these. I live in rural Herefordshire, so the roads are not good enough to go faster than this is capable of. I love the simplicity. Sliding windows, perfect. No power steering a clincher! I really hope they don't add gadgets to it or abandon the simplicity over time. This is exactly the car for many people who don't go far or often carry passengers. Could probably make a dog partition so Lu could have the whole cargo area!!! Brilliant vid, and brilliant little vehicle. Best wishes from George
I simply had to watch this again! Maybe I buy a Lottery ticket tomorrow! I am sure one could be imported, even if it does not officially come to the UK. I don't see the left hand drive being an issue. Not likely to be overtaking all that much! Best car video I have seen! Best wishes from George
Sometimes the size of the car doesn't really matter, sometimes we just need a vehicle to take us from A to B when it rains. Maybe having this little car will help us a bit.
@@nightfury1591 Yes,but most accidents happen in your own neighborhood,which are quite survivable in a normal sized car. In this thing,even at 30,you have no crush space to absorb the impact,
@@johnsmith-cw3wo Not really the smart car was small but super strong. It protected a passenger in a 70mph crash into a concrete block. The problem is any car having a collision like that the passengers would be killed by the G forces.
@@mbak7801 yes but a smart car has airbags & crash testing. This doesnt. I would buy the microlino with airbags & crash tested. But like this i think its better to stick to a scooter/motorcycle/bicycle or just a used smart car.
I think the main reason they don't need to bother with aerodynamics is not because of the light weight but because the car tops out at 90 kph. The drag force that acts on the car increases quadratic with the speed. At 90 kph they are probably still in a sweet spot where a better drag coefficient wouldn't decrease the overall drag force by that much. And you wouldn't really drive this car at its top speed all the time anyway. At city speeds the drag force doesn't really matter that much.
@@svr5423 Anyone who dares to go on a motorway with this thing must have a death wish 😅 I mean legally you can but it's definitely not a good idea. City and country roads is where this vehicle makes sense.
It took you a loooong time but I am happy you finally reviewed it! I have been following this project for couple years now. It's such an awesome machine. And like you said it is a bit better than the rest of the cars in the same class. Twizy with no doors/windows? How about a Ami Tupperware microwave box? Nope. Microlino is nicer and looks damn good!
I think it would be more useful if the back of the car was squared off so it could have a popup seat at the back, or maybe some tall packages / bags. Also a wider boot door & opening.
I would suggest adding a ridge in the boot, and a open [not solid panel] shelf for the width of the boot which fits that ridge, so items can be double layered in the boot without crushing the bottom items. I don't know what the measurement difference might be between the floor of the boot and where that ridge might be [for the shelf dimensions], but if the open shelf was designed right it could be stored on the floor of the boot (or flip two halves out from the walls of the boot) and not add much weight.
people want SUV'S knowone needs them. and what people want manufacturers will sell. its rare to see normal cars anymore. out of my neighbours. one has a HRV another has a qashkia then a XC60 and then a Freelander.
Yes, a new comment on an older video... Being fortunate to live part of the year on a sunny island (Kefalonia) a 'car' like this would make for ideal transport, indeed I looked in to buying one of these... until I discovered the truly outrageous price! Oh, and the drive-train could do with a good deal of refinement. For a vehicle very much aping the sadly departed bubble-cars of the past this thing really should be no more than a third of it's current price, half at a reasonable stretch. I shall wait for the Chinese to catch up. For now I'll continue to ride my electric scooter (a Mojito) and occasionally hire a car when more than two-up is required.
Yes to this! What a city car should be. Downside in UK is that the potholes are about the size of this entire car so likely wouldn't survive long here, unfortunately a reason I know a lot of folk have migrated to larger vehicles is state of the roads.
![[TH] 2024 PMGC League | Survival Stage วันที่ 1 | PUBG MOBILE Global Championship](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/FVFT-PFwU80/mqdefault.jpg)
They've minimized every aspect of a car except the price. Brilliant.
Agreed. I'd prefer to get an aptera if I want a unique looking electric car. At least that has enough room for groceries.
Probably they put that price to get the incentives for electric cars and the final client will pay around half of that price.
@@xavierrochas Pff, yeah right, keep dreaming. It starts at €20.000 with the tiny battery, what country has a €10.000 EV subsidy? Pretty much every single country has ended all their grants by now, not that they were ever that high anyway.
@@oyuyuy I refuse to dream about buying this piece of s*** :)))). Romania has a €10.000 EV grant, but it will be over soon.
@@b.d.a.8719 Yeah I don't get who's buying these.
I could totally see a market for a 45km/h 'golf cart'-style microcar at a €3.000-€6.000 price point. I could also see a market for a highway speed micro-EV (like the Smart EQ) at a €10.000-€20.000 price point.
But a limited speed, "not a car", for €20.000+? That just doesn't make any sense to me.
Modern day Isetta
right? he opened the door in the first three second and I'm like that's an isetta
BMW should have done the i1 like that...
=10X more cool😎
That was my first thought! It’s almost identical from the door to the headlight placement and rear wheel placement. Probably one of the most accurate looking retro throwbacks I’ve ever seen.
Fair point, but my favourite bubble was the Trojan/Heinkel :-)
Jack Scarlett, this from your 91-year-old American fan. You are without-a-doubt, the best, most-charming hustler on TH-cam in the whole world! Always delighted to see you turn-up as the presenter on wonderful micro-vehicles or whatever! Best regards, Bob Campbell
Nice idea keeping it simple, but 15-20k is a bit much. For the Northern market they might want to think of being able to swap out the fabric sunroof for a hard top for it to be more water tight in winter weather.
There are different versions starting at 15k with no roof. It is more expensive because it is produced in italy and the company has to deal with swiss regulations but the main cost comes from not completely treating their workers like shit as most chinese produced products do. But i get that the price is a bit too high
@@gonzocrunch8356 If you got paid correctly it would be affordable. Somebody has to start paying somebody else correctly.
What I love the most about the microlino is the minimalism in extra features: NO electric windows, NO electric sunroof, NO Infotainment system, NO power breaking or steering, NO electric mirror adjustment. This car will be so much easier to maintain, just because there's less to go wrong!
It also has no airbags, which is the one feature I would like them not to omit.
@@no1DdC huh 😵
That's quite a relevant fact, that should've been in the video...
No airbags , well at least your first on the scene in an accident !
At max speed of 90 Kph you are likely to be last on the scene of an accident - collision
But 20g? C'mon, this is an aspirational second vehicle
It's really a great EV. And I'm one of the proud owners since a week.
❤ what is your range on battery?
How cool! What's it like to boot around the ville in a new age bubble? Looking forward to your take.
Cool. Post a video!
Magnificent !
Congrats! You must be one of the very first
Yes, the most reassuring scene in this vid was that first scan of an actual assembly line. Not a light warehouse with one prototype in the middle that might sort of work, but a real factory.
This type of thing, like a modern version of the post-WWII boom in weird but practical transport from mopeds to scooters to bubble cars is exactly what I think's needed. With no need to aspire let alone achieve attaining to owning a big EV for most of us
And far more efficient, and probably more fun tbh, than similarly priced Zero electric bikes. Of course everyone will say just do a 21kwh version to push range beyond that magic 200 miles...
I am slightly concerned at some of the work going on, it looks a little too much hand fitting going on. Wonder if Sandy Munro would look at this?
I really want a single cast version of this like Tesla could do.
Get the price down with massive volume.
Since it wouldn't need very many batteries it wouldn't be battery constrained. If you can build them cheap enough there's practically a limitless market.
@@grahammonk8013 aside from the big automakers, this is the way the first off the line are built for every fully new model. You do a semi-automatic assembly line before you sink a large sum of money into tooling.
Yeah, 0 to 100 in 2 sec is just idiotic, as is all the motorized everything.
I can open a boot/trunk
I love that the Isetta has been re-born! I recognize those bubble cars from TV shows and car books.
I always complain that most people (like myself) have too big of a car for transporting just themself and a couple of small boxes, and there are very few cars that are just that without a giant engine. This thing can also go fast enough so that you won't hold up larger cars.
( the owner of the company should have called the little bugger, "(REINCARNATION !")...won,t get it here in Canada...Wish it would !!
@@barbaratrueman185 since he already made the micro scooters... he used the same company for building the car
20k, they are robbing people.
What a disrespectful thing to say. The isetta was and is gas powered
You know why BMW didn’t continue with the Isetta? It was a death trap. No escape after a front crash. Door jammed and additionally blocked by the accident obstacle. Either the steering column intrusion killed you or you burned to death with no chance to escape. Bon voyage, I rather remain with my SUV and survive.
I opened this up thinking no way I'll drive that, but you should do the marketing material. This is absolutely brilliant.
😂 love that
Just seeing those bicyclists do a double-take as it passes by is marketing gold.
Maar hoe nou gemaak as daar beurtkrag is? 😉
The Microlino is absolutely adorable! Love retro cars! Good to see that they finally got into production, hope they do well.
Been watching the trials and tribulations of this lovely little car for a couple of years.
Great to see it is really happening now - and the developments and improvements that have taken place. 🤗
Where?
@@sroberts605 internet. TMI was going to build the Microlino, Artega took over TMI and developed their own variant of the Microlino (a barely modified copy), the Artega Karo. They obviously got sued by Microlino, then reached a settlement where both would build their own variants. Artega went bankrupt again (first time was 2012) in May this year and has been taken over by the German company Electric Brands (about to launch their Xbus) and should put the Karo (under a different name) in production somewhere next year. Cecomp in Turin is the current producer of the Microlino.
The most sensible vehicle design for today's busy streets. Very basic yet practical design. Love that adorable look.
unfortunately not so in america, with everyone here driving giant tank-sized gas-guzzling """light""" trucks
@@ponponpatapon9670 I liked those American designs too. American build most of the the items way practical though. From consumer electronics to fighter jets. All are very practical yet robust.
@@biswajeetsingh4994 They are not so robust as you might think. International made robust trucks in the past because they were BTL. Modern trucks are not BTL they are rather built to break early.
In America, the "big" trucks, which is the perfect vehicle for the insecure men, this 15-20k
auto? will be the new "spare tire"!
Wow, love the concept of a smaller city size EV but the price point seems too big for such a tiny car
That is the principal issue with verhicle manufacturing. Whats expensive is the technology inside, not the sheet metal. Since on the same level of engineering/comfort features a larger vehicle mostly uses just additional sheet metal (which is cheap), you get visible things for you money there.
This is the reason why small vehicles tend to be very very expensive for their size.
@@aresivrc1800 Its really more a principal issue with EVS right now. Theyre extremely simple technology, thats how newcomers like byd, tesla and these guys can suddenly compete with automakers, where before that wasnt really possible since they were all decades ahead in engine design/building. But their problem is, batteries are expensive and heavy, thats why we only really get big expensive evs right now.
Noone buys a small city car at the prices they would have to be sold at to be economically viable, so they dont exist. Things like the E-Up were sold at a loss and subsidized with the profits from the hybrid/ice versions build in the same chassis, thats why they were reasonably priced, but you couldnt buy them because barely any were made.
@@aresivrc1800 Citroen AMI is for half that price with similar size :D
The Wulu bingo is packed with features and 4 doors with far more range and usability.
For about 10 thousand dollars. The reason this is so ridiculously expensive is probably the amount they had to pay BMW for the right to make them.
They should call it the leg-remover-5000. Nothing like having a piece of sheet metal between your legs and another car's bumper.
2 adults and 3 crates of beer.... What a tag line! Love it! Great work Fully Charged crew x
I guess the question needs asking how many crates if there's only one person in the car 🤣🍻
Where I live 60 percent of the population couldn't even fit one person in that tiny car ! The hills round here are so steep you would have to leave it in town as it would not get up the hill to the house.
@@billienomates1606 So those people would benefit from leaving the car in town and start walking.
@@billienomates1606 electric cars are great at going up hills because they have amazing torque
That was pretty much the same tag line when Smart car was designed.
Jack, as a fellow tall king, you have no idea how much I appreciate your height insight when it comes to EV's.
@@Vikrum_ short king.
@@Vikrum_ youre a woman
Same, I'm 192 cm/6'3½", so would have a decent amount of headroom in the Microlina.
Tall kings unite
Since the start I've said that EV design is completely pointless. We had a perfect opportunity to re-invent what a car is and one of the key directions would be to go smaller and more efficient. Instead, we've gone for HGV style monstrosities weighting more than a cruise ship and consuming energy and materials worse than the worst excesses of ICE cars. This little car is definitely headed in the right direction. Excellent.
Completely agree, Small car for daily city traffic commute, with
Jack Scarlett, you are the absolutely greatest pitchman. Now that that is out of the way, I love the Microlino! Unfortunately I am a 90-year old geezer with macular degeneration. In short my vision is so bad I had to quit driving. So no Microlino for me! But, I have the enjoyment of watching you do your thing. And no one does it as well as you do!!! Regards, Bob Campbell
Double spaced after the period. Proper grammar. Well put together. And the youthfulness of 4 exclamation marks.
How beautiful is this comment.
Thanks Bob!
@@raisukhwani Double-spaces after a period is not proper. It's something that had a brief popularity decades ago but was never "correct". A single space between words is sufficient to simplify reading so why should a period and two spaces between sentences be expected to do anything more than a period and a single space? Try reading text with extra spaces between words and letters and you'll see that superfluous spaces can actually make reading more difficult. When talking about EVs, we need to show proper appreciation for efficiency. ;)
@@anusriskandarajah4600 the guy is true to his time, yet excited about the cutting edge tech and socially engaged enough to leave such a comment. We should appreciate that!
@@raisukhwani His time? I believe the practise actually enjoyed a vogue among typists due to the monowidth of typewriter fonts. It faded when word processing's proportional fonts took over. Typesetters never used it. Anyway, I wasn't complaining about his use of double-spacing after a period but rather your endorsement of it.
@@anusriskandarajah4600 you are complaining about an endorsement I never made. Acknowledging a fact is not endorsement of it.
I hope this stops the complaining.
The gearbox noise in this EV is actually a REALLY good thing... aural and visual stimuli to the brain significantly affect assessment of actual speed.
People drive a lot faster in modern quiet ICE cars with no wind noise, engine noise, tyre rumble, etc.. the tranquillity dulls the senses... resulting in more accidents at higher speeds.
Agree strongly - I say keep the whine!
@@JackScarlett1 The whine is lost energy that is reducing its efficiency.
@@anusriskandarajah4600 Then make a speaker that reproduces it. Just have something that makes a noise.
@@ravenouself4181 That's not a bad idea. The sound system usually is powered by a separate (12v) battery from the one that drives the vehicle (at least in most EVs - I don't know about this one). Usually EVs make such an added noise at low speeds (up to 40kph) to alert pedestrians but it cuts out at higher ones. The view is the road and wind noise above that speed is sufficient to alert pedestrians.
The idea of adding noise to give the driver audible feedback about their speed deserves consideration. However it would be competing with whatever you are listening to on the sound system and it isn't as precise as a speedometer - which you are supposed to be paying attention to anyway.
For myself, I prefer cruise control and miss it on my i-MiEV. Set the speed to the local limit or whatever conditions permit and pay attention to the road. I also like to complain about the noise that smog machines make - especially inside the cabin - and am not really keen on recreating it.
Nose in parking likely negates any possible safety improvement from noise.
Cool, definitely reminds me of my parents 1958 BMW Isetta. We (kids) would drive it around the front yard of our house learning to drive before we were old enough to get a license.
yeah, my mother had an isetta. a three wheeler, as she didnt have a driving licence for a car....it could be driven with a motorbike licence!
it was left hand drive and the gear lever was in the side panel just like a racing car of that age! I loved it as a kid, I had my own steering wheel to "drive" it with ( stuck on the front windscreen by a sucker, i used to stand on the seat ( it didnt have seat belts) and stick my head out of the sunroof with a huge grommet smile on my face, happy days.
It was a problem when it broke down ( it did frequently) as my dad had to tow it 15 miles to an isetta specialist.
I still love to see the original isettas at classic car shows today.
It's clearly a rip off of the Isetta. But I'm more disappointed that the guy in the video didn't know that or ignored it and praised the current "designer" in the intro.
Videos of the Isetta we're used in the video. How can you say he ignored it?
@@caleidoo yes, it's not a new design, it's just a new concept and rework of an existing legacy design.
When I was in grammar school the basketball team put the coach's Isetta on top of another car. No harm done, but it took a while for him to collect enough people to get it back down. Ah, memories!
Love it - incredible review Jack - 'crippling anxiety of suddenly being t-boned by a nonna in a punto' was perfection 🙂
Really just makes me wish the new ownership of smart won't completely abandon the fortwo. I'm currently using a 15 years old ICE fortwo (budget doesn't allow me to have anything more expensive), and for me personally, this would do fine, but when I drive my old mom for shopping, the fortwo's perfection, whereas she just wouldn't be able to get out of it when we'd arrive (and the driver can't even get out to help the passenger). So again: smart, if you're reading this: Don't forget about your roots!
Not every car suits everyone does it.
I've found that EVs have a lower cost of ownership (especially with the price of gas these days). My brother, who drives a lot, found that he could pay for a Tesla on the amount he was saving driving to and from work. Admittedly, he was driving a big pickup truck... However the only real problem with EVs is their availability.
@@Ben-oy1td Certainly true. I just hope the very-small-city-car market won't just be old smarts and the microlino. ;) The Dacia Spring's too big for my purpose.
@@anusriskandarajah4600 Sure. And I'm looking forward to getting one once they're in the 2000 EUR bracket used, if they're still viable then.
Agreed. Or how about a Mini that actually lives up to the name? :)
I love lightweight cars without power steering. This is the type of car I have been hoping for. Simple. No popout exterior door handles, no mood lighting, etc. LOVE IT
For 20k
That's stealing, mate.
@@I.Am.Nobody It's very different from the Isetta besides the a similar look.
Brilliant! I'm 6'1" 200 lbs and had a 67 Austin Healy Sprite in my youth. Tiny, tiny little car but it was a two-seater and I fit just fine. Plenty of leg room and handled like a dream. Top speed was 60-65 mph, but I didn't mind it if I was driving it on a windy mountain road. I honestly felt that if I raced the average Porsche (down hill) that I would win simply because it felt like it was glued to the road at all time. Pure joy.
This car sounds like a modern version in a way. I hope they come to the US soon!
They should make a 4 seater version with rear facing seats called the Microlimo
As a perfectly average 30 year old Brit, I miss my micro scooter, and often wish I had it back, but with two extra wheels and a 10kWh battery. Thanks Jack, fantastic video as always!
You may consider purchasing a Citroen Ami !
@@etherospike3936 Second hand Renault Twizzy would be faster and better value.
@@tcm81 As he pointed out, we were speaking about quadricycles here, for full electric cars on good value I would recommend a new Dacia spark !
@@etherospike3936 The spark isn't available in the UK ( it might never be released for the UK market). I thought the Twizzy was a "quadricycle", though I'm not sure what the definition of that is? One of the versions has a similar 50mph top speed.
@@etherospike3936 Also, are we talking about the Dacia Spring?
These look fantastic, so fascinating to see these on the streets soon! I love that creating something simply joyful is part of their agenda!
I love it and I want it, especially the babyblue one. I was really hoping that the switch to EVs gives us back the small, fun and quirky cars we had until the early 2000s and it seems I will not be disappointed.😁
EVs are horrible…
@@Me-262edits in what regard? because one thing is for sure they are really fun to drive especially in the city
@@GanzcastGermany you have to charge them
@@GanzcastGermany and not the funnest type to drive either
It is way way way overpriced. Base model is 15k euros. Citroen Ami base model is 7.7k pounds (around 8750 euros). You can buy a lot of used electric cars under 15k, like the Renault Zoe.
See my comment. Same thoughts! 😁
In today's news: Used vehicles are cheaper than buying new! The new Zoe is nearly £30k. I do agree it's too expensive from a UK point of view, but if you live in an Italian old town, might be worth the premium. ...only time will tell.
The Citroën Ami is a total POS tho. 75km max range and 45 kmh top speed? That's bad even if you do only city driving.
And ooooh used cars are cheaper than new ones, what a shocker
@@CheesusCrustus problem is that it’s more like a fortwo but not safe looking and they do go for the same amount plus it looked a bit bumpy on city roads which seemed odd as that’s it’s natural environment
It's an honest price, the Ami is literally HALF the "car".
It's got half the power, half the top speed, and 1/4 less range than the base version.
For comparison: a Nobe 100GT with 218km of range costs 50% over a top spec Microlino.
This is, by far, one of the best EV reviews you have ever done! Thank you for the excellent review and I really hope the Microlino makes its way across Europe, and maybe, just maybe, over here to North America. I would love to try and review one. Thanks again for a job well done.
americans will hold isreal responsible for HR violations before they embrace a toy like this
I agree, Americans need these tiny cars as well!
I would totally see this car being used in a car sharing service! I know Daimler tried it and failed, but if they could understand the secret sauce other services have, this would make so much sense for a point A2B system!
I don’t know why but I find the EV revolution to produce a bunch of really quirky vehicles and I love it! This level of experimentation will eventually boil down to a more stable and refined form. This will allow access to anyone from a price point perspective.
Exciting times!
Weight and aerodynamis are two completely different things.
A car thats very light but has terrible aerodynamics will still consume more fuel (depending on the speed of course).
And a car with great aerodynamics but high weight can still be very efficient at constant and high speeds.
Twizy owner here. This car seems to draw a lot of inspiration from it (the portable speaker is EXACTLY what I did with my Twizy). The pleasure you get from driving the Microlino sounds exactly like how I feel driving my Twizy. Keeping my eyes on this cute little EV as its successor in a couple of years.
Unlike the twizzy it's rainproof
If only Renault would do a 2nd version, designed with decent doors and for northern Europe, then they might make more of a success of it.. Or they just make the Microlino under licence ;-)
@@vfr800ch Check out Renault Mobilize Duo. It seems they won't sell it tho, only rental / car sharing.
@@1sm0Laitela That one can't be parked on motorcycle parking spots anymore
@@Malar1898 Where and why is Twizy allowed to do that :D
Been an early reservation holder for quite some time now, and it's amazing to see it actually in production :) Hopefully this makes its way across the pond to Canada, an absolute perfect city car.
There's absolutely no way Transport Canada would approve this car for more than 50 km/h unless they where built here.
@@KASPA-KEY “an absolute perfect city car” end quote
That dark semi-matte green one at the end is gorgeous! What a sweet car. I love those headlight/mirrors. So fun.
This is so cool! I love the Bench seats, it would allow you to sit closer to your partner and feel like you’re with them. Most cars have a huge divider in the middle and you always feel like you’re a mile away
I absolutely love this. This is the perfect second car, and breaks the mould away from bloated tanks.
the perfect *first and only car. if you need a bigger one, rent it.
@@ooooneeee People who are not single always need a bigger car than this.
You might see lawyers and corporate types picking 'the second car' to work, having a little gocarting on the way to the office....
@@TheSteinbitt two people can ride it plus some of their stuff. Why buy a bigger car if you don't need it for most of your everyday rides?
@@ooooneeee I have kids, but even without, there’s always weekend getaways, longer evening trips and sometimes buying larger items etc I would rather just have a bike or an ebike. This could replace an ebike during winter months when it’s freezing though, but why not just take the bus or walk? Or have a regular EV for all purposes?
I'm thinking this would be a really great self-driving taxi at some point when the proper software becomes available. It's perfect for grocery runs and other light shopping or taking you home from a party. As a commuter car, it makes a lot of sense, especially with the smallest-battery version.
Very happy with your positive review. I had an Isetta ( 3 wheeler ) 60 years and loved it - had a ball with it. In the last ten years I had been thinking how suitable it would be for electrification . . . and now they have done it. I think the steering wheel that folded out with the door was less obstructive. This would be much more suitable for a mum to run the child to school than a ‘ Chelsea Tractor ‘ 😏
My uncle had a 'bubble car' in the 60's. I loved being in it. This is absolutely modelled on it with that opening front.
@@terencejay8845 Yes immediately remembered the Issetta and similar BMW I had a Goggomobile a tiny 4 wheel car
15000 haaaaaaaaa
The Isetta 300 was not a 3 wheeler. It had 4 wheels. Look it up.
@@dwalker399 no argument, we’re talking concepts. Mine must have been the 250, or someone had nicked the fourth wheel.
2 adult and 3 beer crates... 🤣🤣 it can be a hillarious action movie opening sceen
If you're already in a 2 car household this makes a lot of sense. What you need for an everyday commute (assuming public transport isn't a feasible option) is different to what you need for road trips etc.
the other microcars currently are like 3 times cheaper
This is a big issue with EVs. The assumption by the regulators is that everyone 'commutes' to work; same route day after day, into the city or town centre. This first foray into EVs is a triumph of Hope over Reality. Until there is a huge leap forwards in battery and charging technology, EVs will remain a very expensive niche product.
@@terencejay8845 manufacturers always cater to the majority because that's where the money is. People whose work involves driving all day do need a different solution to the majority of the population who drive 20-60 minutes to the same workplace every day.
@@chrisrosenkreuz23 but probably not with the same build quality and safety..
@@vfr800ch there's no reason to assume that, I mean it could be better it could be worse for all we know. I wouldn't assume correlation between price and quality generally speaking, it's kind of like trying to steal your own hat
Love the simplicity of the car! No gimmicks no useless features just a car! A very rare thing nowadays. Thanks microlino, I need one.
So so cool this--I loved the look of the Isetta, and I love that someone made an electric
This and an ID buzz would be the perfect two car family! Great stuff!!
And when you were done with your Microlino you could drive it into the boot of the Buzz!
As a previous owner of a Microcar MC2 I can affirm you don't need a big, heavy, powerful car to have fun. In fact it is the LAST thing you need. Looks like it's a blast.
I want to see you tow a trailer with it! Then I might believe you.
@@jgbee2726 Ah yes, when you need to tow something twice a year, let's just buy a massive ass SUV instead of, i don't know, renting one for a day or two?
What a fantastic review and what an outstanding smile on Jack's face 😎
People say 15 to 20k is too much don't know average Harley is 25k Honda Goldwing is 30k and both are motorcycles
Point here you get weather protection stability and fun factor plus EV
I'll buy one
I really do like the looks (I’m just old enough to remember a few biubble cars), my concern with all of the micro cars is not actually with them but with the effect that the ridiculus 4x4 SUVs would have on them in a crash and that needs to be resolved. A mass migration to smaller cars has got to be a good idea
Also right now the macho thing is a giant jacked up truck- with under 5 mpg. to go buy a loaf of bread
@@dandavis4469 ( not to mention the macho heavy debt for 20 years to own the "status beasts !!)"
yeah, this just won't work for US market, it's more for european market
Looks like a bmw isetta
Since childhood I’ve liked the Isetta, but the 250/300cc single cylinder motorcycle derived engine kept me from getting one. With the Microlino I’ll finally get to enjoy one! 😉
~It's identical to the Isetta.
It was not a bad engine, loved my Isetta 300
@@Radfordperson Not to knock the engine itself. As you wrote, it was not bad. Just not the power source I wanted to propel even a small, but not very light car.
@@HLife719 I doubt the micro is very fast either
this car makes so much sense - especially nowadays.
take my money !!
The microlino would be perfect for me, because I am not a fan of bigger cars. The fact that it is electric is also a plus, and being able to pull it up to a sidewalk and get out easily is such a wonderful idea. Hopefully we can get them here in the US really soon, because I could get around the city easier.
Yeah, weight is everything. I guess that's the reason my electric skateboard offers ~65 miles/KWh instead of the 8.8miles of the microlino... My only concern is having to share the road with 2ton Heavy Teslas. It would be great our current road network was re-classified, where cars should primarily drive on high-speed infrastructure, while a network of urban and rural roads could be dedicated to micro-cars and other modes of transportation.
Beautiful creation. Congratulations to people who made this possible.
I hope that with production scaling, cars like this will come closer to 10k €, then they will become really successful. Currently, a used 2015 Zoe is probably a better option for a small EV with okay-ish range.
Mass production can reduce price tag but principal issue is that you just cant get the technology of a car inside a remote safe package without approaching 15000 €.
I really hope they manage to make it cheaper, well under £10k. At the moment it's more expensive than the Dacia Spring which seems a more attractive option.
Guess it depends on the country. In my area the starting price of the Dacia Spring is just under the maximum price for the Microlino. But dont forget; a bare bones VW Polo by now is in many regions touching 30k already. For a Microlino at below 10k sacrifices would need to be made in range, durability or safety. Or step down a category to the Ami and Carver with limited 45km/h topspeed.
I'd get this if it was offered in the USA. I live in the countryside on a farm; and it would be nice to have something other than my work truck to use for travel into town, to the coast, or the mountains. They'd be competing with the SOLO and the Arcimoto as the microcars/ autocycles most prevalent in the region; but, they've definitely got better efficiency and packaging than the local options.
Should be 5k max
What would you rather have, a fancy overpriced mobility scooter that is unfit for people that actually need a mobility scooter or a Dacia Spring?
@@kristoffer3000 I wouldn't go that far. It is cool enough to not be considered a mobility scooter, but at the same time it can't be the only car. You still need an actual car for longer trips or larger family. That's why I don't think too many people can afford a £15k second little car.
Even the small cars in Turin, Italy are very sensible - note the decently sized side and back windows!! Looks as if you could actually see out of the car windows, while in the U.S. even the small cars have those horrendous, small, tilted windows which do not afford easy visibility, if any. I no longer have a vehicle, but, if I did, I would even take out the damn head rests, so I can see the vehicle's surroundings.
Saw the car at the Geneva motor show about 5-6 years ago and it looked great. Good to see it finally in production.
I like how Factory Guy calls out the aggressive look of so many modern cars. But that's what most people are buying now, which I guess means a lot of people have some serious rage issues that they want to express with their vehicles.
Thanks for bring the lust back to life. My first two cars in the 1960s were BMW Isettas, one three wheel, one four wheel model and I loved them. I am saving up for one of these.
Wow! An Isetta veteran. You need one of these!
I was interested in seeing the stretched Isetta with rear side doors in the video. 3:12
@@briananthony4044 I just looked it up, it's the BMW 600.
Iso was an Italian sports car manufacturer that made Isetta for BMW, and the last BMW Isetta badge was the 300. So same car kinda, but twice the engine volume and number of seats. Isetta means the small (car from) Iso. I guess technically the 600 is not small enough for the label, but everyone still calls it the Isetta 600. 🤗
Thank you so much for showing this car! I love this design! I must check it out!
Greetings from Belgium!
Wow that price tag is a lot more than I was expecting! Jack you talked about the quality of the interior but all I noticed straight away was the wire hanging down on the rear screen and the flakey front edge where the sunroof closes. Thanks for another great review.
Well, everything became 30% more expensive the last 2 years, so.
@@BrutalHonduras so ..... that creates huge challenges for great start ups like this to survive their early life!
It's a bubble car! When I was a teenager, they were quite popular. We had a teacher in the school I went to, had one, and some of the sixth formers managed to put up on the roof of the school. I never found out how he got it back down again
Lol, teenagers!
To me it's just wonderful. I live in Australia in the country but I'd buy one of these because it's small, 2 seater and of reasonable cost. I just want one. The problem will be choosing the colour, they are all so beautiful. Thanks Jack, brilliant as ever.
Would love to see one of these zipping around the outback
Trouble is our Nanny State here in Oz would insist on ridiculous requirements. Requirements which no other country will insist on. The new Mini springs to mind. The Oz Mini had the world's biggest tacho because Oz insisted that the speedo couldn't be centre of dash. They'll want something similarly stupid with this modern Isetta if it ever gets here....
@@logotrikes really?! We don't even have fuel standards, but silly requirements for other things?!
@@logotrikes Yet a centre dash speedo is allowed for other cars. The new LDV van has one. Belive me it's really anoying and not as safe having to look all that way across.
Don’t think it will come here, no airbags or ABS which is a requirement I think
A modern version of the Iconic Isetta. Beautiful
I want one!
I was laughing and smiling throughout the whole video. Super cute car, and definitely a head turner.
These are fantastic! I really hope that they're available in the UK in the near future! I used t have a Smart Four 2 as a company car for around town here in the Poole & Bournemouth area and absolutely loved it! For our business it was a great tool for advertising and a great conversation starter. I really want one!! As long as I can get my labrador in it I'll be ordering one in green and white!
So an upgrade from two crates of beer to three crates of beer! 😁
this was a brilliant watch. very well delivered 👏🏻 I want one now !
Excellent presentation!
Awesome little car!
What a fun little car. I love the efficiency and the retro style. The next generation of cars do need to be super ligera. Given the speeds this will do, the price tag of more than double a Citroen Ami is not too hard to justify. Good work Jack bringing us the type of car we are have all been demanding. I like the way you don't just stick it to the Tesla fan boys but also poke a stick at the MX-5 faithfully. Is there know car you want tease? My job now is to convince the family that we need one.
What a beautifully designed little thing. Reminds me of the feeling when the Smart City Coupe was launched and I thought, “I have to have one”. Now on my 7th! It’s not often that something this unique comes along these days. Only concern is crash safety which isn’t a worry in the Smart, thanks to the Tridion.
Careful with na mx 5 criticism. The engine power and suspension is an absolute perfection in balance on every front. It was artistry in mass production.
My brother had a "bubble car" in 1966.
It was brilliant.
I seem to remember there was no reverse gear.
I would love to own one of these now I'm nearly 70.
Another quality and enthusiastic review from Jack. I’d love to see these on sale in the Uk at a reasonable price.
good luck for that! It won't happen.
It wouldn't work in the USA. The smallest car on the road is the Mini Coop. Trucks would crush the Micro.
I’ve always had micro & small cars, the first the Honda 600, then the Trojan by Heinkel, Renault 5, then 3 smart cars, Smart is my favourite. These new models should sell for £10,000 to get us really interested!
An expensive microcar is neither fish nor fowl.
@@PassportToPimlico think how green it is, we are so used to having what WE Want not thinking about the planet !
@@yapproger For it to make an impact on the environment it has to be at a price where many people can buy it, not just a handful of middle class people looking to park it next to the big SUV.
@@PassportToPimlico just why I said it should be £10000 cost wise!
@@yapproger How can it be green when it keeps on propagating the idea that we all need a car for transportation? It may not be as bad as a big hungry SUV, but it's only slightly better.
Have been covering and waiting for production on this for yeeeeears. Makes me happy to see you expose it to a broader audience, and to see it being produced and on the road. I hope some day our i3 looks more like an SUV to you and me when in any city!
Old is new again. Basic cars are what I love. I still own a Saturn with roll down windows, and I could not be happier.
You're right, Jack. I really DO want it. Doubt they'll ever bring it to this side-of-the-pond, unfortunately. I'd love to have one for driving around town!
Ship one there,îs that hard?
@@andreiionescu205 They're not street-legal in the US, they mention it in the FAQs on their website: "Due to a different legal situation in the USA, the Microlino US version will have to undergo some design changes."
@@samwarmuth americans only Like their stupid land yachts anyway
@@andreiionescu205 Yes.
@@andreiionescu205 the lack of safety features would make it dangerous to drive in the USA
The BMW Isetta is back, Remember them from my childhood! Perfect could park everywhere though it had the rear wheels close together, but same front door and side lights but the steering wheel hinged on the door! Also I like that electric propulsion is converging towards the ideal vehicle sizewise. There was a reason cars were small after WW2, and the situation today is similar. We are resource constrained when it comes to battery supply and likewise emissions, and we might soon find ourselves in a world of recession (1 EUR/kWh), so this is really foresight by this "car" company to react to the turn of times.Not only low weight makes an EV efficient a small motor does too. A tesla might have a peak efficiency of 97% but that is at 150 HP, a far cry from where a car usually spends its life resulting in poor efficiency at low speeds. A Model 3 motor is only 72% efficient at 30 mph.
I absolutely love the Microlino!, have done ever since I saw the first videos of it a couple of years ago, just the most fantastic little city car. I really, really hope it makes it to the UK🤞
Just to clarify though, light weight does not make aerodynamics redundant. The reason the Microlino doesn't need to be aerodynamic is because it only does 50mph, not because it is so light.
Right. For efficiency, low weight in the city & hills, good aero for freeways.
I've fancied a bubble-car for a while now and I've been hoping someone would create on for the 21st Century (ie electric). I doubt I'll be in a position to buy one in the short term but it's nice to see them come into existence
Jack is very likeable, keep him on this show at all costs!
The sounds like a young and nicer jeremy clarkson 🤭
Excellent video! Fully Charged actually goes digging for new developments and shares them quickly. I had never heard of this M-Cro EV. Sounds Switzerland has another Swatch-like product to bring to the world.
Customizing that car is gonna be gold.
I'm thinking Lambo scissor door
Hope they come to the US too.
Saw this at the Paris Motor Show last week. It's easy to get in and out of and surprisingly comfortable to sit in. It's very reminiscent of the Isetta, but with an extra wheel for stability and of course, it's an EV. For a second car or someone that doesn't rack up the miles, this is a great solution.
The Isetta had 4 wheels, though the rear ones were even closer together than on this car.
My mistake, thanks for letting me know 😊
We need more of mini EV like this 👍🏻
A very pretty death trap. The bodywork between your ankles and front bumper is the spring used to absorb the impact of a collision. There's a reason why cars the size of a mini cooper stopped being built after the 80's
When the Transport Road Research Laboratory was asked to crash test a G-Wiz, it refused to put its crash test dummies in one. The lab said that the dummies were too expensive and it didn't think they would survive the crash. Microlino looks like it has less of a crumple zone than the G-Wiz. I'd still buy one though.
if your city is designed properly -- almost all roads 30 km/h, only a few non-junction ones 50 km/h, and maybe a ring motorway for 80 km/h -- then collision fatalities are near zero. This is where the Microlino has potential. But for an American city of high-speed stroads, you are right, it would be unsafe. Safer than a motorbike or scooter, though.
@@martian9999 I'm in London we have 20mph limits (32km/h) enforced with cameras, the Microlino could probably drive in and out of the potholes that cover more of the roadspace than actual road. I've given up trying to use the heavier of my too bicycles.
@@martian9999 This depends entirely on the country that your perfectly designed city is in. The UK has 30mph limits in urban environments which is faster than 30kph. Even the highest rated "crash safe" cars struggle to remain "safe" more than a handful of mph over 30 due to the exponential energy derived from velocity (e = 1/2mv2). Safe is defined by the safety cockpit around the passenger compartment remaining uncompromised; the more energy the harder it is. But that's not really the problem, it's perfectly possible to build a passenger compartment that is circa 200mph+ "safe" and has been since the 90s. The problem is the deceleration of the passengers in a non-deflecting environment is unsurvivably massive even at lower speeds because your internal organs keep going at that speed even as your body is restrained by seatbelts, and splash themselves across the front of your torso. The bonnet area is literally designed as a shock absorber to slow the safe cockpit area down at a survivable rate for its passengers. There is no spring on this vehicle. The cockpit can be built to survive any reasonable impact the vehicle might face. You aren't.
@@ossirioth well, to repeat, you need a 20 mhp (30 km/h) speed limit.
Perfectly reasonable, as it reduces pedestrian deaths by 75%, enables lighter cars such as the Microlino, and doesn't really reduce transport speed (re: Smeed's Law).
Haha! That quote about the Honda e was pretty much what I thought: my e looks almost mean compared to the microlino. 🤣
I adore this. I like small cars, and this takes the biscuit!
I am only five foot six, so there would be room for my Patterdale Terrier as well!
At the moment I haven an eighteen year old Mini One [R50], and this looks to have more room in the front seats than the Mini. I gave a lift to a very tall friend of mine last week, and for him to fit the passenger seat had to be so far back that only a match-stick person would have fitted behind! Got the Terrier in though!
I really hope this comes to the UK. The furthest I drive in a day is about thirty miles, and once a year I travel 200 miles to Norfolk. For that I would simply hire a car, if I had one of these. I live in rural Herefordshire, so the roads are not good enough to go faster than this is capable of.
I love the simplicity. Sliding windows, perfect. No power steering a clincher! I really hope they don't add gadgets to it or abandon the simplicity over time. This is exactly the car for many people who don't go far or often carry passengers. Could probably make a dog partition so Lu could have the whole cargo area!!!
Brilliant vid, and brilliant little vehicle.
Best wishes from George
I simply had to watch this again! Maybe I buy a Lottery ticket tomorrow! I am sure one could be imported, even if it does not officially come to the UK.
I don't see the left hand drive being an issue. Not likely to be overtaking all that much!
Best car video I have seen!
Best wishes from George
Fantastic. Ive been watching development for last couple of years. So pleased they are making them! I want one. It’s on my wish list!
Sometimes the size of the car doesn't really matter, sometimes we just need a vehicle to take us from A to B when it rains. Maybe having this little car will help us a bit.
until a full size SUV crash into you... then you might get to point C... as in cemetery.
@@johnsmith-cw3wo I'm not talking about accidents, I know the risks. This car is for short distances, not to be taken to the German Autobahn.
@@nightfury1591 Yes,but most accidents happen in your own neighborhood,which are quite survivable in a normal sized car. In this thing,even at 30,you have no crush space to absorb the impact,
@@johnsmith-cw3wo Not really the smart car was small but super strong. It protected a passenger in a 70mph crash into a concrete block. The problem is any car having a collision like that the passengers would be killed by the G forces.
@@mbak7801 yes but a smart car has airbags & crash testing. This doesnt. I would buy the microlino with airbags & crash tested. But like this i think its better to stick to a scooter/motorcycle/bicycle or just a used smart car.
The car put a smile on your face and your review put a smile on mine!
About effing time... Someone finally going smaller than larger, and this is considered eccentric xD
Long overdue!
I think the main reason they don't need to bother with aerodynamics is not because of the light weight but because the car tops out at 90 kph. The drag force that acts on the car increases quadratic with the speed. At 90 kph they are probably still in a sweet spot where a better drag coefficient wouldn't decrease the overall drag force by that much. And you wouldn't really drive this car at its top speed all the time anyway. At city speeds the drag force doesn't really matter that much.
On the motorway you'll have to drive it at full speed, otherwise the lorries will get twitchy.
@@svr5423 Anyone who dares to go on a motorway with this thing must have a death wish 😅 I mean legally you can but it's definitely not a good idea.
City and country roads is where this vehicle makes sense.
It took you a loooong time but I am happy you finally reviewed it! I have been following this project for couple years now. It's such an awesome machine. And like you said it is a bit better than the rest of the cars in the same class. Twizy with no doors/windows? How about a Ami Tupperware microwave box? Nope. Microlino is nicer and looks damn good!
What a great, authentic review - well done! I've ordered the little thing!
Provided it can be towed on four wheels would be ideal for motorhome/RV owners 🤔
you could probably just park it sideways on a platform on the back of the RV 🙂
I think it would be more useful if the back of the car was squared off so it could have a popup seat at the back, or maybe some tall packages / bags. Also a wider boot door & opening.
...or a rumble seat like a 32 model A Ford
@@SHOdown13 Now that would be cool. Probably not legal anymore.
I would suggest adding a ridge in the boot, and a open [not solid panel] shelf for the width of the boot which fits that ridge, so items can be double layered in the boot without crushing the bottom items. I don't know what the measurement difference might be between the floor of the boot and where that ridge might be [for the shelf dimensions], but if the open shelf was designed right it could be stored on the floor of the boot (or flip two halves out from the walls of the boot) and not add much weight.
This car deserves to be a success! I don't really need one, but cities would be great with Microlinos and not the enormous SUV's people seem to need.
people want SUV'S knowone needs them. and what people want manufacturers will sell. its rare to see normal cars anymore. out of my neighbours. one has a HRV another has a qashkia then a XC60 and then a Freelander.
Yes, a new comment on an older video...
Being fortunate to live part of the year on a sunny island (Kefalonia) a 'car' like this would make for ideal transport, indeed I looked in to buying one of these... until I discovered the truly outrageous price! Oh, and the drive-train could do with a good deal of refinement. For a vehicle very much aping the sadly departed bubble-cars of the past this thing really should be no more than a third of it's current price, half at a reasonable stretch. I shall wait for the Chinese to catch up.
For now I'll continue to ride my electric scooter (a Mojito) and occasionally hire a car when more than two-up is required.
Yes to this! What a city car should be. Downside in UK is that the potholes are about the size of this entire car so likely wouldn't survive long here, unfortunately a reason I know a lot of folk have migrated to larger vehicles is state of the roads.