Tiny is Huge

Appropriately, the inventor of the MICRO scooter, Wim Ouboter, is tackling electric vehicle transport not just by thinking small, but by thinking tiny. As in Isetta microcar tiny. The Isetta was (is) a vehicle that cannot be ignored, no matter how diminutive its stature. This little gnat of a vehicle is super-odd, super-hard to miss, and boy-do-you-not-want-to-hit something-head-on-with-it scary. The refrigerator door-inspired front loader was popularized by BMW, but it’s micro roots trace back to the Italian firm of Iso Autoveicoli (which, interestingly enough, manufactured refrigerators, motor scooters and small three-wheeled trucks). BMW licensed the “bubble car” from Iso and in 1955 popped out its first Isetta 250. Isetta is indelibly etched in the global consciousness as THE icon for the microcar.

Let’s thank Wim for being inventive, bold, and having a lot of class. Picking the Isetta as the inspiration for a new ALL ELECTRIC MICROLINO is more than fashionable, it’s smart. As pointed out in The Road Electric’s recent article on Yugo scooters of Barcelona, Spain, it’s obvious that design – retro design – is a clear winner in capturing the hearts and minds of progressive early adopters who want to embrace the EV ethic without driving a blandmobile. This is obvious by the fact that you can no longer place a reservation to be among the first 500 drivers to own a new Microlino. All of the reservations are filled. But you can LIKE the Microlino Facebook page.

Plus, tiny is huge. Especially in crowded urban environments where pollution (zero emissions), noise (silent running), and a desire for practical personal transportation (no timetable) are ever-present motivators. Electric cars are the future, and here’s one that you can park sideways, in between two other cars, and not worry about clearance for opening doors. Just pop open the front and emerge like sardines from a can.

Rather than digress into a fascinating history lesson on the Isetta, I think you should simply watch this video and enjoy Wim’s vision of the MICROLINO electric microcar.