Electric batteries give life to microcars again and this is their entire story

What is the story about microcars? They have existed almost since the automobile itself was invented.

Electric technology is making the return of microcars to the mobility industry possible. The most characteristic example is shown to us by the Microlino, a car that is built with the objective of represent the values ​​of the classic BMW Isetta. The electric motors barely take up any space, while the battery packs can be placed in the lower part of the vehicle, making it possible to integrate much more compact models in terms of space. Now, where does the concept of the microcar come from?

Microcars, the solution sought to deal with traffic in the city

Microcars attract attention for have enough space for one or two people. The dimensions of these vehicles, in many cases, do not reach three meters in length, so they are perfect for finding parking in the city center. Some manufacturers, such as Smart, have based their differentiation on size, becoming highly demanded proposals in the urban environment. It is time to see, however, where this concept was born and, of course, why it has become fashionable again.

This microcar stood out for having a very short wheelbase. Wikipedia

In 1895 the Voiturette was born, a vehicle that became the first car from Léon Bollée Automobiles. It was a small vehicle that perfectly fulfilled its main function, that is, transporting a person from point A to B with a very compact structure. Just a few years later, Renault used this name to produce a similar vehicle, which was a sales success due to its configuration. It had a 273 cc single-cylinder engine that produced a maximum of 1.75 HP of power.

Subsequently, It was the turn of the one known as the cyclocar, a type of vehicle that required having a clutch and gearbox to receive such a designation. These were very simple vehicles from a technical point of view, since the mechanics were combined with a chassis designed to circulate at low speeds. This made these vehicles valid options to circulate exclusively in the city. Even so, they enjoyed great success, since people could take interesting tours without encountering parking problems.

The arrival of assembly lines like the one that gave life to the Ford T caused a drop in sales. After all, much more capable cars were offered and, at the same time, with greater interior habitability. This caused a drop in demand that almost caused the extinction of this car format, according to Ars Technica. Only the end of World War II allowed the production of this type of automobile again.

The Messerschmitt KR175 was a great success after the end of World War II. Wikipedia

The Messerschmitt KR175 was a representative example to explain the economic situation of the time. Many families had been ruined as a result of the largest war conflict in history, so this type of automobile was used due to its low production cost and low maintenance. Again, everything was temporary, since the 1950s and 1960s saw progressive economic growth that, once again, buried the development expectations of this type of vehicle.

Just some other proposal like The BMW Isetta appeared during the following years. Society began to demand larger and larger cars, so this type of model was left behind, covering a very small demand. At the end of the nineties, the Smart arrived, a two-seater vehicle that was aimed at meeting an elitist demand for city driving. It was a real success under the dominance of the Daimler group, having been electrified a few years ago.

Now, at a time when there are major restrictions on movement in the city, This type of vehicle can live its glorious era. Taking into account that adopting electrical technology can be particularly simple, it is expected that we will see important advances in the matter over the coming years.

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