Small is beautiful

The established car manufacturers are shedding their e-abstinence, but are mainly starting with very expensive and high-priced sedans. But there is a lack of smaller, flexible and, above all, urban vehicles for intelligent micro-mobility on the market. And sometimes there is also a lack of new, fresh ideas. Space for start-ups like #SONO, #Micro & Co to fill this gap.

A guest contribution by #Fritz Lietsch, editor of the magazine forum Sustainable Economy, www.forum-csr.net.

At VW, the delivery of the coveted E-Up has been (temporarily) stopped and with the ID.4, unfortunately, Volkswagen is already moving back into the class of high-priced SUVs. Even at BMW, the iX5 is not squeamish when it comes to strength and size. The question arises: Do you really need – especially for urban and everyday mobility – SUVs bursting with horsepower that literally reach their limits in parking garages and narrow streets? Definitely no. This is also what the following providers think, who with their start-ups are counteracting the boundless growth of automobiles and putting flexibility and climate protection at the forefront with smart concepts.

SWISS MICROMOBILITY PIONEER

As a Swiss pioneer in micromobility, Micro launched the first foldable scooter in 1999, which was a great success and sold millions of times. With the cute Microlino, which is reminiscent of a BMW Isetta from the old days, Micro presents its vision of environmentally friendly, efficient and weather-protected mobility. The design was selected via an online survey from the more than 17,000 people who have already reserved the city runabout. “It has always been important to us that we can integrate the Microlino community as much as possible into the development process.

With the Microlino 2.0 we are doing this much more consistently than before, “said company spokesman Oliver Ouboter during our phone call and raved about the improvements that have already been made to version 2.0: The chassis is made of sheet steel and aluminum, the rear axle was turned 50 Percent widened, a synchronous motor with permanent magnets brings 15 percent more efficiency and significantly higher performance. NMC cells are now being installed, which have a higher energy density and thus make the interior space more spacious for the passengers. In addition, the narrower A-pillar increases the all-round view compared to the old version. The dashboard has been designed in a minimalist way, with a digital display that shows all the necessary information. The basic technical data as well as the range of up to 200 kilometers and the price of 12,000 euros do not change. The start of production with the traditional Italian company CECOMP is scheduled for the end of 2021.

IT’S EVEN SMALLER

The Microletta, the concept of a three-wheel electric scooter, is based on the design of the Microlino and combines modernity with retro charm. The two front wheels provide increased grip when cornering and have an improved braking effect, which is more safe than two-wheeled motorcycles and mopeds. When the vehicle comes to a standstill at the traffic lights, the steering mechanism can be locked so that the scooter stands by itself and you don’t have to support yourself with your feet. “The vehicle is classified as a three-wheeler in Europe and can therefore be driven without a motorcycle license despite the maximum speed of 80 kilometers per hour. Thanks to the three wheels, the vehicle is easy and safe to drive, even for inexperienced people, and is intended to motivate people to switch to electric and light means of transport, ”says Merlin Ouboter.

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