A bit of a celebrity, the Microlino was a tremendously tiny electric city car developed by two Swiss brothers. After an unveiling back in 2016, and a few complications, the vehicle has reached the prototyping phase and will begin production soon.

The Microlino is a project started by Oliver and Merlin Ouboter. Their main goal was to develop a vehicle that was environmentally friendly and helped clear up space in crowded cities. Announced back in 2016, they originally planned to release the vehicle in 2018. As it turns out, making cars isn’t easy, so only now are they nearing the production phase. Fortunately, that extra time, paired with some incredible advancements in electric automotive engineering, they’ve designed a new, more modern and safe variation of the original vehicle.

The new design features a unibody structured chassis that is stiffer and more rigid than the tubular frame used before. Using a combination of pressed steel and aluminum, it manages to be notable more durable without any additional weight.



The driving motor offers 15 horsepower, allowing for top speeds of around 55 mph. With a consumer choice between a 8.0- and 14.4-kilowatt-hour battery, the latter will allow for a total range of around 120 miles. While these are pretty unimpressive numbers, they’re more than suitable for city level travel and commutes.

Their commitment to clearing up space is no joke, either. The Microlino measures in at about 8 feet in length. With enough room for two passengers and an impressive 10 cubic feet of trunk space, this gives it the small, boxy look you see above. Fortunately, being an electric, a large majority of the weight is in the base of the vehicle, preventing it from being too top heavy. Not that you’d be taking any unreasonably sharp turns in the city.

The vehicle is currently in the prototype phase. The makers plan to produce five more examples before going to the European Union for certification. Currently, they are hopeful that certification will be complete by the end of summer and they can begin production shortly after. If that happens, consumers might start seeing it hit shelves as soon as the end of this year.

The best thing about the Microlino, however, might be the price. Currently, they plan to price the vehicle at 12,000 euros (which is about $14,500 in American dollars). A new vehicle at that price would more than make up for the limitations it poses.

Unfortunately, there are no current plans for distribution to the US. The vehicle is only confirmed for Europe. So if I want to find and electric commuter car for under $15, I’ll have to look for a used Nissan Leaf.