Microlino: retro city EV from less than €18,000

Barely six months after Toyota and Lexus importer Louwman announced that he would add the Microlino to his portfolio, we can tell you the prices of that small city EV. The Microlino can be ordered from November and has a Dutch starting price of €17,990. But, what exactly is a Microlino? And do you need a B driving license for it?

Microlino: just mash it!

To answer that last question directly: yes. You may only drive the Microlino with a B driver’s license. Its specifications are of a completely different order than those of mischievous city EVs such as the Opel Rocks Electric and Citroën Ami. Each Microlino has a 17 hp and 89 Nm strong electric motor. This allows you to zoom from a standstill to a speed of 50 km/h in 5 seconds. Its top speed is 90 km/h. You can just take it on the highway.

Although there is no choice in terms of engines, the Microlino will be available with three different battery packs. With a 6-kWh battery, the Microlino can travel a modest 90 kilometers. The middle version has an electric lung capacity of 10.5 kWh and has a range of 177 kilometers. The largest battery measures 14 kWh and gives the modern interpretation of the Isetta, loaded with retro design, a range of up to 230 kilometers. The Microlino with 6 kWh battery can charge with up to 1.35 kW. The versions with 10.5 kWh and 14 kWh battery can charge with up to 2.6 kW.

With its length of 2.52 meters, the Microlino is two centimeters shorter than Smart’s very first two-seater: the City Coupé (later Fortwo). It weighs 469 to 530 kilos and falls into the L7e vehicle category. Despite its quite compact dimensions, the luggage compartment of the Microlino measures a neat 230 liters.

Microlino

Prices Microlino

The starting price of €17,990 applies to the Urban version. Just like every other Microlino, it has a simple dashboard with two displays. It is available in white or orange. A roller roof is optional. The first copies of the Urban will come to the Netherlands in the first quarter of next year. The Urban is only available with the smallest battery pack.

Above that is the Dolce version, for which you pay at least €19,990. The Microlino Dolce has an LED strip that runs the full width of ‘the door’, more attractive interior trim, a steering wheel covered in artificial leather and a roll-down roof. This version also has a soft-close door and various chrome-colored accents. The Microlino Dolce is expected in the Netherlands in the last quarter of this year. The Microlino Dolce is available with any of the three battery packs.

The third and final version is called – really – Competizione. The Microlino Competizione will cost at least €21,990, is finished with matte details and has a real Sport Mode, among other things. The Competizione is only available with a 10.5 kWh and 14 kWh battery.