Microlino, the new Isetta

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081576#Comment_122081576

I did copy and paste it. It's the bit above the link.

Also if you want to get past the paywall, I use this: https://paywallhub.com/ The archive.is option seems to be the most successful.

unkel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081489#Comment_122081489

You doubt wrong! Try and find a Twizy for sale on line and put the reg into the motor tax site. You will see it is taxed for €35 per year. I've done it before myself.

AMKC

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081863#Comment_122081863

Try and find a Twizzy for sale in Ireland full stop. I wouod love one but they are as rare as hens teeth.

unkel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081912#Comment_122081912

From experience, there are several coming up for sale every year. Always overpriced for what they are though, although I nearly scooped one up a year or two ago for under €3k.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081912#Comment_122081912

Ask and you shall receive 🤣

https://www.donedeal.ie/cars-for-sale/renault-twizy-2016/36844161

Unfortunately it's in NI so no way of checking the road tax.

Miscreant

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122081979#Comment_122081979

£7300 for an 8 year old Twizzy? They're having a laugh right there, regardless of what the motor tax situation on it would be!!

I really like the Microlino, as I have said earlier, but I just don't perceive €18k worth of value in it either (at it's base price). Perhaps I am the completely wrong market and they are chasing the nostalgia folk but I don't count on it selling in huge numbers here at all. It will probably end up like the Twizzy where 2 or 3 a year will pop up for sale for crazy money and then disappear into the ether again for another while. I don't even believe these are investment pieces so I highly doubt they will appreciate or even hold their value into the future either.

Overall, I think this country has gone past the "mass personal mobility" phase as Government policy is to encourage public transport over most other methods (not including e-bikes and e-scooters), so these types of micro vehicles are not even attractive to the majority of people here. They may work well in a Mediterranean country or Paris and the likes but we are the wrong market and vehicles like this will only be adopted here by the very few who have enough disposable income to spend on this as a "cool or hip" accessory.

Perhaps if I win the lottery and dropping €18k on a lifestyle vehicle suddenly means nothing, will I then go and get one.

prawnsambo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122082033#Comment_122082033

Yeah, it's nuts money. For a car with seven owners too. There's a niche for cars like the Twizy and the Microlino and all their ilk but I don't think there's much of one in this country. A few cities like Dublin, Cork and Galway maybe.

the_amazing_raisin

I guess for some clarification on the Microlino, there's two versions, Lite and... non Lite I guess

The Lite version is limited to 45km/h and is classed as a light quad bike

The car version can go up to 90km/h, has a bigger battery and is effectively a very small car (they're both the same size)

IMO, the only version worth looking at is the Lite version. Yeah the bigger one goes faster and further, but is anyone really going to want to take this thing from Dublin to Galway?

For buzzing around cities, the Lite version is perfect and cheap to run and tax. Also it can be used by younger drivers because it only requires an AM license

Plus you don't have to experience the wonderful weather and get to sit out of the rain

I assume it can't use bike lanes, and would still need to sit in traffic, although I could see drivers taking the attitude that it goes where it'll fit, which is basically anywhere

Of course it's a pretty narrow customer profile, you could endure the weather and get an E-scooter or ebike which is much easier for getting around the city centre (even if you're boring like me and obey the traffic lights)

the_amazing_raisin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122082052#Comment_122082052

Apparently most of the residents of Dublin prefer their cars bigger than the Twizy given the amount of traffic I was cycling through last week

Micro cars are perfect for cities but you wouldn't want to bring one on a long trip. I nearly got flattened by an Aygo which is probably the smallest car you'd consider useful here

Of course if we had such luxuries as a functional public transport network then you could just have your small car for the city as needed. Or use the park and ride which actually exists

Seriously, I don't understand anyone driving in Dublin city, it's just so frustrating. I'd take the bike in the rain over the car any day if I was doing that every day

rdhma

I got to sit in a Microlino at an EV show in the UK last year. There's plenty of room for one, maybe a little cosy with two.

The Byd Seagull EV will be available in Europe next year, which is a 4 door hatch, costing €9400 in China. Tax will bump that up here, even so, nearly double the price for a Microlino is a tough ask.