Extra small electric car Microlino to be made in Germany

German sports car manufacturer Artega has taken over all rights for the production of the Swiss electric city car Microlino from Tazzari of Italy. The latter wants to focus on projects outside the urban segment instead. Hence Artega also acquired the rights to the Tazzaro electric taxi e-cab but first to the electric Isetta remake.

The extra small electric car Microlino indeed takes all its design clues from the cult classic BMW Isetta, also known as bubble car. Created by the Swiss company Micro Mobility Systems AG, the new EV will now be made by Artega at their headquarters in the German town of Delbrück.

Artega first attracted attention in 2007 with its Artega GT and their latest own project is an electric sports car called Superelletra. Expect to see a very limited series earliest in spring next year.

For producing the Microlino series version though, Artega has a more dynamic plan. In the coming weeks, the current pre-series production of the Microlino will be relocated from Imola in Italy to a 3,000 square metre hall in Delbrück. Artega will invest a total of around three million euros in the facilities needed to produce about 8,000 electric cars per year, beginning in January 2019. Microlino said they were holding that amount of reservation on the last count this September and they have since received many more.

Buyers will have to wait for a bit though. First deliveries will go to customers in Switzerland next spring with the German market supposed to follow shortly after. As far as the base price is concerned, Microlino say they will stay with the previously projected 12,000 euros – half the price of an electric Smart.

In July, the Microlino completed the EU homologation, making the Swiss mini EV street legal in all European countries. For the time after sales, Micro Mobility Systems chose Bosch Car Service to help keep their mini electric car up and running.

The official range during preliminary tests was set at 126 km with the small battery option (8 kWh), while the larger battery (14.4 kWh) is said to deliver 202 km of range at a top speed of 90 kph.

Micro Mobility Systems initially presented the two-seater electric car Microlino that measures no more than 2.40 metres in Zurich last January.

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