lunchbox 71
What does an affordable microcar, Australia’s best motor race of the year, and driving through Chongqing, China, have in common? They’re remarkable.
For more than a few years, I was starting to think that microcars were dead and dusted as a viable transportation category.
Diesels had swept Europe, Asia was either in the process of building (China) or had its own microcars, thankyouverymuch (Japan). And North Americans were hungry for King Ranch-flavoured driveway dressing…
Now? Small vehicles are finally coming back.
Microcars, microcars…are they finally back?
Thanks to design, packaging, and regulatory advantages, small EVs are viable and showing the promise of microcars from the ’50s and ’60s: low-cost motoring for all. Turin, Italy is yet again home to an innovative small car producer—but I’m not talking about Fiat.
If you’re as susceptible to a microcar’s charms as I am, this tour of Microlino’s facility and first drive miiiiight have you property hunting in Europe. The Iso Isetta-inspired 1-door design may lead you tho think this is a 3-wheeled vehicle, but no: Micolino’s narrow rear track houses two rear wheels.
Modest specs and low top speed aside, up to 230 km of range and an efficient powertrain might be enough juice to see a city dweller through a month or more between charges. (Specs below.)
Anyone in the EU mind if speedster.news relocates to your spare basement or outbuilding…?
The TINY Cheap Electric Car You Actually Want! • Fully Charged Show
see also :: microlino-car.com
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Power / Torque |
12.5 kW / 89 Nm |
|
Top speed |
90 km/h |
|
Range |
95 | 175 | 230km |
|
Battery |
6 | 10.5 | 14 kWh |
|
Battery type |
Lithium-Ion (NMC/NCA |
|
Charging time |
6 kWh: 4h |
|
Curb weight |
496 kg (6 kWh) 530 Kg (14 kWh) |
|
Dimensions |
Length: 2519mm |
|
Seats |
2 |
|
Trunk volume |
230 liters |
|
Vehicle category |
L7e |
|
Heating |
included (1.8kW PTC), rear window heating |
Every year I tell myself, “Michael, this is the year you’ll plan ahead and watch Bathurst 1000 live”. Then the highlights appear on YouTube and for 20 minutes I sit with my jaw on the floor going, “HOLY HELL!!!”
Come for the howling symphony of highly tuned V8 engines, stay for the chaos of changeable conditions and questionable driving, share with friends because of the heroic battles and drives that occur during a 1,000 km (621 mi). street fight over and around a racetrack carved into a frickin’ mountain.
No hyperbole: this race was wild.
Race 30 Highlights - Repco Bathurst 1000 | Supercars 2022 • Supercars
Get a new high-res TV? Have three hours to spare? Need to relax? Plain curious? I can recommend this channel highly—there’s no sound, music, or commentary: just an exterior view to a part of the world we don’t often get to see here in North America without some kind of commentary attached to it.
I’m always looking at the cars, but in this case, the grandiose scale of the mountainous region and city of Chongquing (pop. ~31 million) took my breath away. Its intricate road network and the unknown vehicles within are captivating, to say the least.
Driving in Chongqing - This is a city with the most complicated traffic in China • 中国街景 Chinese Street View
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