The Microlino city car is the smallest EV ever produced

  • The Microlino and Microlino Lite are among the world’s smallest cars
  • They can fit two people
  • The Swiss company behind them is selling them across Europe

Published on May 07, 2024 at 4:13 PM (UTC+4)
by Siddharth Dudeja

Last updated on May 09, 2024 at 6:24 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by Tom Wood

Everyone’s preferred cars are getting bigger, but Swiss company Micro is here to bring back the small cars era with its Microlino EV range.

But, is it maybe too small?

The Swiss company, mostly famous for creating two-wheeled and three-wheeled scooters, launched the world’s tiniest EV last year — the Microlino electric bubble car.

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But that wasn’t seemingly enough, as there’s now an even smaller version called the Microlino Lite.

Why is it so tiny, you ask?

It takes inspiration from the Isetta Bubble Car that became popular back in the 1950s.

The only difference is that the Microlino Lite runs on batteries and electric motors.

It’s certainly not the first time we have seen a trike pretending to be a car, just like this VW Geparda.

If you thought the tiny hatchback from Mr. Bean was small, just wait until you take a seat in a Microlino.

To get inside, you need to open the front ‘door’ which basically covers the entire front frame of the car.

There are two seats, a compact steering wheel, and not much of anything else.

Similarly, the Swiss company ensures they have stripped down the regular-sized car to a basic functioning enclosed vehicle that gets you from point A to point B.

Well, that’s what makes a car, a car — right?

The tiny EV would look insignificant in front of the world’s largest EV.

It may be small, but it’s sturdy, too.

All variants in the Microlino EV range have a durable body made of aluminum and steel.

It’s the perfect modernization of the good ol’ Isetta Bubble Car with its futuristic LEDs and modern materials.

If you’re planning to get one as your daily driver, the car surprisingly has a trunk, too.

The trunk is tiny at 8.1 cubic feet, but it’s there if you need it.

Moreover, the trike version has an electronically limited top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h), whereas the full-sized version can pull off 56 mph (90 km/h).

There are three battery options, and the largest one will get you 143 and 112 miles of range on the full-fat and trike versions, respectively.

Further, the Swiss automaker is selling the EV range in the European markets.

Some European countries allow the Microlino Lite to enter the market under the L6e category, meaning anyone above 14 years old can drive the trike.

When the world moves towards bigger cars — from sedans to SUVs to pickup trucks – cars like these are refreshing to see.

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Siddharth is a tech nerd with a secret love of all things cars. He has been writing for a few years now, and on his free time you would find him gaming when he's not procrastinating.