Microlino has just opened its online configurator for Switzerland, giving a first indication of the prices of its micro-city car. And it’s cheaper than you might think.
With its retro look and front door, this two-seater city electric car catches the eye. Microlino is only 2.52 m long (10 cm longer than a Citroën AMI) and shows a contained weight. It carries small batteries of between 6 and 14 kWh (depending on the version) and an engine with a maximum power of 19 kW, elements that seem perfectly suitable for urban use, while offering more options than a Citroën AMI. .
The detailed presentation of this Microlino had led us to believe that it would be sold at a pretty high price for an electric micro city car. Although the price is not as affordable as for a Citroën AMI, unsurpassed in this area, the first prices that the Swiss brand communicates on its configurator are pretty good surprise.
What prices for Microlino?
In Switzerland, the first country to order Microlino, the entry price of the entry-level version is announced at CHF 14,990 (approximately € 14,400). For the rest of Europe, the brand offers a first price of € 12,500 excluding VAT, or around € 15,000 including VAT for France. However, the mark indicates that there may be some nuances depending on the country. The final price will be announced when the sale opens in the relevant market.
If the entry level is shown at € 15,000, the launch version, Microlino Pioneer, on the other hand, is shown at just over € 20,000. This launch version, well-equipped, corresponds to the prices of the first electric cars available in France.
For pure urban use and a tight budget, Microlino or Spring?
The Dacia Spring is the most affordable electric car found in France. Dacia Spring is cheaper than the Volkswagen e-Up, Fiat 500e or Smart EQ and attracts customers thanks to a price starting below € 20,000 (before bonus deduction).
Dacia Spring is available from € 19,290 for its comfort version and € 20,790 for the comfort plus version. Its price has risen significantly since the start of marketing, but it remains one of the most affordable electric cars in France once the aid is deducted. With a limited autonomy, a rustic style and modest performance, it is a vehicle intended for urban use, even peri-urban.
We therefore have two diametrically opposed electric cars on paper, but with a relatively similar use and price, so why not launch an unlikely match:
| Microline | Dacia Spring | |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum speed | 90 km / h | 120 km / h |
| Powerful | 19kW (max.) – 12.5kW | 33kW |
| Couple | 89 Nm | 125 Nm |
| Weight | 497 to 535 kg | 970 kg |
| Battery | 6, 10.5 or 14 kWh | 26.8 kWh |
| Breast | 230 liters | 270 liters |
| 0 to 50 km / h | 5 seconds | 5.8 seconds |
| Autonomy | 91 to 230 km | 230 to 305 km |
Judging by the exterior and interior design, the Microlino wins the comparison without a doubt. If we stop at the practical aspect, it is the Dacia Spring that will win with its 4 seats, a larger luggage compartment and, above all, easier access to the car’s interior.
For performance, although the technical specifications provide an advantage to Dacia Spring on paper, in urban use, the Microlino should prove to be much more relevant.
Finally, we at the editorial office at Numerama love things that are a little out of the ordinary, so the very special “pod” touches us especially. The Microlino makes us vibrate, although the Dacia responds much more to more applications and will reach a much wider audience.
