Microlino review: the cutest EV ever or a city car too far?
I know what you’re thinking. What in the omelets is this? An egg on wheels, [Music] a FisherPrice concept car, or perhaps a retro kettle with headlights. No, it’s one of those things. It’s the Microlina, a fully electric micro car inspired by the 1950s. Now, stick around because I think this is possibly going to be the most fun you can have driving in a city without getting arrested. Now, it is based on the BMW Isetta from the 1950s, but unlike the original, it has the benefit of four wheels. Oh, sorry there. Which basically means it doesn’t fall over every time you attempt a corner, which is a win, I think. It’s about 2 and a half meters long, 1 and 1/2 m tall, which means it’s shorter, narrower than pretty much all city cars, and it’s designed for one purpose only, to rule urban streets at a price. But more on that later. Now, this is my favorite part of the front. No, not a frunk. It is in fact the door. The only way in and out of the Microlino is through the front. Literally the front door. Um, it’s kind of cool, kind of fun. The downside to it is if you’re out and about and you parallel park and someone decide to park a little bit close to you, you’re not getting in or out. Same thing if maybe you pull up and you park in front of a wall. You’re not getting in or out. I will show you. Ooh, fancy soft touch. I was not expecting that. Quite the luxury. Now, if for whatever reason you get trapped in or outside of your car, don’t worry because there is the optional emergency exit. You can literally just climb in or out of the roof. So, no stress there. Right, let’s have a look around. I mean, obviously, you’re going to get a fair amount of plastic in a car off this level, but there are some fancy materials, too. Leathery softy bits here and here. Um, it is not leather, just to be clear, but um, it’s a faux leather, which we like. You can’t adjust the steering wheel, but again, kind of as expected, you can adjust the seat, and there’s a bit of space between you and your passenger. It’s not too awkward the amount of intimacy you’re going to have to share to be sat next to each other. You do get two screens, this driver display in front of you, and a screen for the fan. That’s my JLo moment right there. Now, there’s obviously no Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, but there is a very handy phone holder, so you can pop your phone in there and use that for maps instead, which is great. Nice little ledge here for extra bits and bobs. Two USBC ports, two USB ports, so you’ve got all of the ports needed, your own Bluetooth speaker, which was quite cool. and take that with you to wherever you want to go and party. Uh, and then down here there is a sport button and on it there is a picture of a rocket with a flame coming out the back. I don’t think it comes with flames. Just to be clear, one thing that I do not like is there is something pretty fundamental missing. There is no front mirror, which Manos discovered was a problem when he tried to do his makeup while test driving this car and realized he couldn’t. But guess what he did? Like any sensible young man, he bought a mirror for it. So he spent all of $5.99 and we can now stick it on and I can actually see out the rear of the car. But how crazy is that that there is no rear mirror? Now, if you’re not in the market for a new car right now, don’t worry because we can help you find a brilliant deal on a used EV. The listings are at electrifying.com and have loads of different models with handy info like battery warranties. You can see the list by scanning this QR code on the screen. So, if you’re watching on your smart TV or tablet, you can carry on watching and scroll our listings on your phone at the same time. You are not going to believe this. This tiny little Microlino has a boot of 230 L, which if you have got no idea what that means, it means it’s quite a decent boot for such a tiny little car. I mean, it’s not big, but look at, you know, that’s I reckon I could actually fit my big suitcase in the back there with a bit of an angle. Definitely a couple of small ones, that’s for sure. So, that is I think a little secret weapon right there. Um, now this does have the mediumsiz battery. So, if you did choose the larger battery, it would encroach on your boot space a little bit more. Um, something to be aware of, but overall 230 L, which is about the same as the VW. Not bad. The range depends on which version you pick. The mid-range Microlina that we have here comes with a 10.5 kWh battery with up to 110 mi of range on the WMTC test. No, I have not mispronounced that. Quadriccycles are tested to motorbike standards, so it doesn’t have a WLTP figure. In reality, though, you can expect around 90 miles from this. There are smaller and larger battery options, too, with the biggest 15 kWh pack offering around 130 mi of real world range. But make sure you allow time to charge because the joy of this charging cable means the fastest you’re going to charge is at 2.2 kW. So for the five and a half battery, it’s going to be two hours. The 10 and a half, it’s going to take you four hours. And the 15 kW hour battery will take you five and a half hours to charge. There you go. The micro might not cost much to run, but actually getting one is a pretty costly affair. It’s available in two forms. Light, which is classed as an L6E quadricycle, like a Citroen Ammy, or a standard, which is classed as an L7E. Prices start at just under £17,000 for the light version that has the smallest 5 kWh battery and is limited to 28 mph. The midsize version starts from £19,00070, while the bigger battery will set you back £215,000, which is a lot of money for not much car. Right, let’s find out if she’s as fun as she wants us to believe. Um, initially I would say yes, it’s light, it’s nimble, it’s eager to please. It’s quite noisy though. Um, I mean, I wasn’t expecting luxury, but you can feel all of the road noise. I feel like I can hear the tire noise, the wheel noise, the battery noise, the motor noise. Yeah, it’s quite noisy in here. You might be able to hear that. Um, it’s also quite bumpy and Oh, we’re going quite fast, though. Yeah, it’s quite speedy. So, it’s got a little kind of nippiness about it. I mean, do feel like I might topple over at any point. 0 to 30 in about 5 seconds. fine for data between traffic lights and stuff, but speed tops out at 56 miles per hour, which is fine for city roads, but you are not going to want to take this on a motorway. Absolutely not. I mean, it’s classed as an L quadricycle, which means you can take it on the motorway, but I 100% would not. It doesn’t feel safe enough, fast enough, sturdy enough. I mean, it’s got no airbags, and I feel like there’s not much between me and and the road at the moment. The Microlino may be small in stature, but its chassis is anything but flimsy. Built around a rigid uni-body steel structure, it delivers far greater stiffness than traditional micro cars. Now, both steering and the brakes are unassisted, and you can tell that from uh the way it handles and just the way it feels when you’re driving it. It’s not as nippy as I thought it was going to be, if I’m completely honest. I thought because it was so light, you would just jump in and it would sprint off. I mean, I’ll just show you from standill. It is fast. I mean, it is still naugh to 30 in 5 seconds. It’s good. There’s just something a little bit clunky about the way it handles. I think it doesn’t help the fact that it is very noisy and also you can feel every lump and bump underneath you. I think, you know, the suspension is pretty hard. Um, having said all of that though, maybe that’s what we actually want out of electric car. Maybe this is a more of a raw drive and maybe this is why it’s going to be more fun to drive. You know, it’s much more like an original um internal combustion engine car. This is actually really fun to drive instead of being so fine-tuned and so comfortable that you forget. We love feeling the road underneath us. This is a city car or for slower roads and for that it’s perfect and it is lots of fun. So, what do we think of our little minute? I mean, it’s not fast. It’s not particularly cheap. Definitely not practical, particularly if you ever want to leave the city, but it’s fun, right? People smile when they see it and see you. You will smile when you drive it. And I feel like right now we are in a world of just gray SUVs, angry commuters. This has got to be worth something. It’s bringing joy, isn’t it? It’s not just a car. It’s bringing mood. It’s like a retro ice cream van for grown-ups. And at the end of the day, isn’t driving actually supposed to all be about fun? Maybe this is your answer. [Music]
Join Nicki as she gets behind the wheel of the Microlino, the tiny, retro-inspired electric city car that turns heads everywhere it goes. Inspired by the iconic BMW Isetta, this pint-sized two-seater promises zero-emission urban driving with serious style. But is this bubble-shaped EV the future of city mobility, or just a novelty for the brave and the bold?
In her review, Nicki finds out if the Microlino is genuinely fun to live with, or if its adorable looks hide a few too many compromises. From its quirky front-opening door to its minimalist cabin and surprising performance, we dive into what makes this pint-sized EV so unique.
#Microlino #EVReview #NickiShields #CityCar
Read the review: https://www.electrifying.com/reviews/micro/microlino/review
🎥 Subscribe to Electrifying YouTube: https://electrifyingcom.short.gy/KK1pbX
🎧 Electrifying Podcast: https://electrifyingcom.short.gy/Pogjfb
✉️Electrifying.com Newsletter: https://www.electrifying.com/newsletter
Follow Electrifying.com ⬇️
INSTAGRAM: http://instagram.com/electrifyingcom
FACEBOOK: https://facebook.com/electrifyingcom/
X: https://twitter.com/ElectrifyingCom
TIKTOK: https://tiktok.com/@electrifyingcom
——————————————————————————————-
Check back for the latest new car reviews on everything electric
✅ the latest car reviews
✅ car advice and explainers
✅ used and new car guides
✅ head-to-heads
WANT MORE ELECTRIFYING.COM?
We upload new videos twice a week. Don’t miss one by subscribing now: https://bit.ly/3U9z1RE
Want to be the first to see our videos? Enable notifications.
Visit our website at https://www.electrifying.com/
SIgn up to our weekly newsletter https://bit.ly/3Ud6zyw
MORE ABOUT ELECTRIFYING.COM
Electrifying.com is the #1 destination for electric car reviews, explainers and guides. Founded by Ginny Buckley, we bring you the latest updates on EVs and in-depth reviews of the hottest new models. Whether you’re switching to electric or just curious, our plain-English guides and expert advice make it easy to navigate the world of electric cars. Stay informed, make confident decisions, and join the electric revolution with Electrifying.com!
0:00 – Meet the Microlino: retro micro EV explained
0:49 – Inspired by the BMW Isetta (but safer!)
1:06 – Size, dimensions & city-car purpose
1:18 – The famous front door reveal
1:45 – Parking problems & the front-door dilemma
2:05 – Cabin materials, seats & screens
3:11 – Tech: no CarPlay, but a phone holder
3:24 – Storage, ports & the Bluetooth speaker
3:43 – The missing rear-view mirror disaster
4:26 – Used EV deals plug (Electrifying.com)
4:48 – Shock moment: the 230-litre boot
5:29 – Battery options & real-world range
6:06 – Charging times: bring patience
6:30 – Pricing: the mega-priced micro car
7:06 – Driving impressions: fun but noisy
7:41 – Nippy in town, but NOT for motorways
8:20 – Safety talk: no airbags, quadricycle rules
8:33 – Chassis & handling: raw and bumpy
9:14 – Suspension stiffness & ride comfort
9:32 – The “raw” electric driving experience
10:00 – Perfect for city fun, not long trips
10:05 – Final verdict: expensive, silly… and fun
10:27 – Why the Microlino brings joy
#ElectricCars #EVReviews #SwitchToElectric #GinnyBuckley #NicolaHume #NickiShields
