Concept Microlino electric off-roader is bubbly brilliant

As EV popularity explodes, it’s the weird and wonderful electric efforts tailored to seemingly every niche, need and lifestyle that makes the revolution so compelling.

Takes this Microlino off-road concept. With its two seats, electric powerplant, knobbly tyres, front-mount winch, external roll-over protection and smart carrying racks it has you aching for an outdoor adventure this weekend.

Seen on Yanko Design and penned by designers Dejan Hristov and Vladimir Matijasevic, it’s based on the tiny all-electric Microlino micro car by the Swiss company behind the Micro brand of folding kickscooters.

Microlino 2.0 in production this year

The urban Microlino EV was inspired by Italy’s Isetta microcar from the 1950s (it was also made under licence by BMW) and is set to begin production in Turin, Italy, later in 2021. Prices start at €12,500 ($19,300).

Last month’s IAA Mobility event in Germany showed the new ‘bubble’ car in near production-ready form. Called the Microlino 2.0, it launches with three editions: Urban, Dolce and Competizione.

Three battery versions with 6kWh/10.5kWh/14kWh capacity will be available, offering roughly 95km, 175km or 230km range. The claim is they can be charged (up to 80%) in only four hours with a household socket.

Microlino claims the car will be the “first vehicle in its class with an automotive grade self-supporting unibody construction.” The importance being it “significantly improves rigidity, driving behavior and safety compared to the tubular structures of other vehicles in its class.”

In the EU there’s a quadricycle category for four-wheeled microcars that don’t need the same strict design and crash testing requirements as normal cars. In Australia, ADR rules simply won’t allow them.

Power to weight

The Microlino 2.0 has peak power of 19kW, 188Nm of torque, McPherson independent front and rear suspension and dual digital displays inside.

Kerb weight is just over 500kg thanks to its aluminium body (the opening outwards front door is reinforced steel); maximum speed is 90km/h and 0-50km/h is quoted at 5 seconds.

Microlino’s video (below) is well worth a watch, showing the impossibly cute electric bubble car in action.

Back to the off-road rendering.

It’s jacked up on off-road-specific suspension, and looks significantly wider thanks to its off-road rubber covered by widened wheel arches.

Additional lights on top of these contribute to the tougher look, while there’s extra storage space down the flanks, albeit spoiling the Microlino’s clean lines.

The rear and roof racks are seen carrying bikes or spare tyres, while we’re sure snowboards or even surfboards could be strapped on for snow or beach safaris.

Even if Microlino don’t themselves take inspiration from the renderings to offer such a vehicle, no doubt there’ll be modifiers out there ready to take it on.