This guest editor piece was written by Ben Macdonald, CEO of Nodum. You can find out more about Nodum’s charging solutions, here. Ben previously worked with Microlino to help set up its UK dealer network.
The Microlino is for everyone.
I’m not suggesting that a family of seven get this as their primary vehicle. That would cause a few headaches, arguments and significant contortion of limbs. By “everyone” I mean the small child you drive past; the person you speak with whose uncle used to have an Isetta, or the builder that wants to get in and take a photo to send to their mates.
When you drive in the Microlino you bring some joy to someone. That is a fact. It is also the exact opposite of the response you might receive driving solo through a busy urban area in a large SUV.
The driving experience of the Microlino is very different to that of a modern car. In some ways it harks back to a time when a car let more of the outside world in rather than isolating you from it. You become very much part of the world around you and the world around you enters the car.
Perhaps one of the biggest joys is a result of the steep rake of the windscreen and the lack of any discernable bonnet. This means that communication between you and other road users – be they pedestrians, cyclists or others is much easier. A simple nod of the head following a bit of eye contact can be enough to reassure someone crossing the road that you have seen them and they are good to go.
This engagement with the world also extends to the road. This can be both a joy and (at times) something to endure. The direct steering (no assistance needed in a car that weighs 500kg) results in a driving experience that provides you with a decent amount of feedback.
Some people have remarked that the steering is quite heavy at slow speeds. However this is probably more to do with the lightness of steering people have become accustomed to – and it ultimately saves on gym membership.
Whilst not being a “car journalist”, the ability to have a bit of fun with this machine on country lanes and around corners is very much present. That being said, the suspension is set quite hard. This results in great traction in addition to the ability to have some fun around the corners. However, given the state of the roads in the UK It is advisable to keep an eye on the road surface. Along with potholes, speed bumps and speed pillows also require a little negotiating. This is particularly frustrating when being followed by someone in an oversized SUV with fancy suspension that is seemingly inured to any traffic calming measures.
At 230 litres, a surprising amount can fit in the boot of the Microlino. Aside from gobbling up a week’s worth of our shopping, the Microlino was surprisingly useful ferrying tools around. I have managed to fit a full complement of tools in the boot – 2x drills, impact driver, angle grinder, track saw, router, various hammers and other hand tools.
Despite the fact that the Microlino is not built for cross country excursions, I have certainly tried. The car is capable of travelling from Lewisham in SE London to Oxford on one charge.
This journey is roughly 70 miles and is well within the capability of the 10.5kW model. On one journey I arrived with 21% of the battery left. This equates to about 8.5 miles per kW. Kevin Booker would be proud.
However, if you want to drive closer to the top speed of the Microlino you will find yourself eating up the battery relatively quickly and might necessitate a quick half hour on a slow AC charger to add a kilowatt or two. Typically this would be combined with a coffee or a wander to stretch the legs.
Another longer journey I took a few times is a trip from Lewisham to Margate. This was typically to go dinghy sailing at the friendliest little Yacht Club in the UK – Margate Yacht Club. The round trip is 140 miles. Fortunately there are a few Connected Kerb charging units in the public carpark next to the boat yard. Four hours of sailing results in enough electrons being bunkered for a full battery for the return journey.
One of the oddest phenomena that the Microlino helped to illustrate was the joy of a paceometer. For those of you who are unfamiliar with this – it is like a speedometer but in reverse. Rather than showing miles per hour, it shows minutes per 10 miles. On one journey down to Margate, I was passed by an acquaintance about 20 miles outside of the Yacht Club. I was tootling along at just over 50mph and they were doing 70. They expected me to arrive a long time after them, yet they only had to wait a few short minutes due to the diminishing returns associated with every extra 10 mph of speed (note that the minutes per mile is not a linear measure).
Now obviously these journeys are not what the Microlino has been designed for. Where the car excels is in the city or shorter inter urban journeys. The ability to find gaps and worry less about losing a wing mirror when travelling along narrow urban roads make the experience delightful. Passing a cyclist whilst easily leaving the mandatory 1.5 metres also provides plenty of reassurance – particularly for the cyclist.
The most useful element is the ability to be a little cheeky when squeezing out in front of others. The aforementioned ability to easily be seen by other road users helps to humanise the driver and the diminutive size almost invariably evokes a smile and a gentle “after you” wave.
The big question is who will buy this. Given the huge changes in what is available on the second hand EV market and the introduction of some very competent full sized new EVs in this price bracket, most customers will be relatively well off. I imagine that for most customers this will be a second vehicle that helps with those smaller journeys and when you just need a bit of tonic with a slice of smiles.
There is a market opportunity for some really interesting ownership models that could be packaged as part of a lease deal. Our family would love the chance to lease this as our daily runner and accrue a few days each month that we could “trade in” for an electric vehicle that could do a longer legged trip to visit family in Scotland. These days could be taken each month or bunkered and used for a longer summer holiday excursion.
After 3,000 miles of pottering around the country in the Microlino I have had to send it back to Zurich – it was over on Swiss plates so was always time limited. This has caused a significant amount of upset in our household – it was like losing a pet!
Microlino – miss you already!
