Swiss micro mobility pioneer Micro to present two world premieres in Geneva

As the Swiss pioneer in micro mobility, Micro triggered a worldwide boom at the end of the 1990s with the invention of the kick scooter (micro scooter) as a vehicle for the last mile.

This year, the company is presenting its latest vision of urban micro mobility. Divided into the three categories of e-scooter, e-motorcycle and bubble car, Micro is presenting its latest e-scooter generation and two world premieres in Geneva.

Starting with the new generation of the Microlino, Micro is showing how the company envisages efficient and weatherproof mobility with its largest micro mobility product. For the first time, the new design, which was selected together with over 17,000 reservation holders via an online survey, will be presented to the public in Geneva.

“It has always been important for us to be able to integrate the Microlino community as much as possible into the development process. With the Microlino 2.0 we want to do this much more consistently than ever before,” said Oliver Ouboter. Reservation holders will continue to have a say in the future — for example, when choosing wheel rims and seat covers.

In January 2020, Micro decided to completely revise the Microlino's vehicle structure in order to meet its requirements in terms of quality, safety and handling. In addition, the chassis will be completely redesigned and the rear axle widened, which will significantly improve stability. The new electric motor increases the performance noticeably and is at the same time much more efficient than the current version.

The interior will be more spacious, ergonomic and comfortable. The steering column is now fixed and does not fold forward anymore when opening the door, which greatly improves the safety and steering behavior. In addition, the narrower A-pillar improves all-round visibility compared to the current version. The interior design will be unveiled on the first press day in Geneva.

The basic technical data such as the range of up to 200km and the price of €12,000 ($13,080) will not change. Production of the Microlino is scheduled to start in 2021 in collaboration with the Italian company CECOMP.

Micro's second innovation concerns a new field for the company. With the Microletta, the concept of a three-wheeled electric motorcycle will be presented, based on the design language of the Microlino which combines modernity with retro charm.

The two front wheels provide better grip when cornering and have an increased braking effect that offers more safety than two-wheeled motorcycles and mopeds. When stopping at traffic lights, the steering mechanism can be locked so that the scooter stands on its own and the feet do not need to be put on the ground for balance.

The removable batteries with a range of over 100km are easy to recharge at home in the living room. Since the vehicle is classified as a tricycle in Europe, it does not require a motorcycle driving license despite the maximum speed of 80km/h; a car driving license is sufficient. For electric two-wheeled motorcycles with a speed of more than 45km/h a driver's license is required, unlike for gasoline-powered ones that can go faster, which is why electric motorcycles have not yet caught on in Europe.

“The Microletta is the little sister of the Microlino and is intended to close the gap in our range between the e-scooter and the Microlino. The three wheels make the vehicle easy and safe to drive, even for the inexperienced, and should encourage people to switch to electric and light vehicles,” said Merlin Ouboter.

A non-binding reservation can be made on the company's website, and the price will be approximately €4900 ($5,341). At the moment, there are no details of a planned production start, as the company wants to concentrate on the production start of the Microlino first.

Micro will also present the sixth generation of its e-scooters. Starting with the Micro Commuter, currently the lightest and most compact e-scooter, which scores with a replaceable battery that can also be used as a power bank to charge the smartphone. The e-scooter can travel 10km per battery charge, but since the battery packs are only the size of a power bank, several can be carried comfortably and the range can be multiplied.

More powerful and more comfortable is the Micro Explorer, which will be launched in May 2020. The e-scooter features a very good climbing ability even on gradients of over 15% and a range of up to 30km. The front and rear suspensions are ideal for absorbing shocks.

Also, a prototype of a new four-wheeled e-scooter will be presented, which Micro is developing and producing for German automaker Audi. A special feature of this product is the steering by weight-shifting and the possibility to drive the product with only one hand, which gives a unique surfing feeling. Technical details will not be announced at this time.

All e-scooters are compatible with the Micro App, with which you can lock your e-scooter, navigate to your destination, select driving modes and display data on CO2 savings.