Our lifestyle is becoming more and more individual. That’s why hardly anything shapes our lives as much as mobility. It is indispensable. Being mobile is the prerequisite for social participation and social progress, for economic growth, self-realization and individual success. Mobility determines whether people can achieve their professional and private goals, reconcile their wishes and needs, and improve their quality of life. In other words, people want to, but they also need to be mobile.
The example of Munich shows how innovative mobility concepts are being fought for in other major cities. More cycle paths, better footpath connections and attractive local transport – for many experts, these are the building blocks for more climate-friendly transport. However, these goals almost always collide with the lack of space in densely populated metropolitan areas. There is an urgent need for an innovative urban transport culture with new forms of mobility and digitally optimised networking of transport modes. Where public transport reaches its limits, the car is often the only means of transport to cover medium and longer distances. Securing the mobility of tomorrow therefore requires different strategies than in the past. A rapidly growing range of mobility options could pave the way for the seamless mobility of the future. But more and more people are tired of having to use a multitude of different mobility apps for their daily journeys and journeys: When and where is the next business meeting? Can I get there faster by tram or my own car or is a taxi more convenient? Should I buy a single ticket or is it worth buying a day ticket? In addition to the apps offered for this purpose, we advocate a mobility turnaround that is fun and strongly recommend a test drive in the stylish Microlino. That’s why there is no experience report on noble and equally large SUVs at this point – because SELECTION is also a city magazine. Let’s break the lance for one of the little ones.
The first Microlino are just rolling off the assembly line in Turin, and from there one of the first vehicles comes to us at the SELECTION editorial office, where the photographer and I are allowed to take a spin – in the model currently being built. Even the fresh colour and the cuddly look with the refrigerator door at the front warm the heart – and delight the mind: Finally, someone dares to transport two people with a car weighing only 530 kilograms – with two 100-kilogram heavyweights, this is almost a factor of 1 to 2.5! By way of comparison, an Audi e-tron (4.90 metres), a Mercedes-Benz EQC or a BMW iX with a kerb weight of 2,585 kilograms has about 14 times the mass for two passengers.
Perfect for “hooking up”. Getting in and out is a breeze. At the push of a button, the door swings upwards to the entrance, and the large door is closed on the inside by the loop. For both opening and closing, the right mix of the necessary force, which expresses solidity, and smoothness has been found. You reach into a classic suede-covered metal-spoke steering wheel without power steering and enjoy the direct line to the road, on an equal footing with the other road users, whom I am always one step ahead of in terms of space requirements. With a flick of the wrist, I opened the folding roof and off I went. After just a few hundred meters and a few traffic lights, I’m whizzing through the city, winding my way through narrow streets right in front of the café. I can easily get to places where BMW iX and Co. have to park far away because of their width. Speaking of advantages: I can manage 90-degree turns without major braking manoeuvres. A little more punch is provided by the “Sport Button” – indicated by the rocket on the roof. Behind this is a button on the gear selector. With your foot on the gas pedal and a smile on your face, electric cars are more than just fun. In everyday life, the dwarf also does well with the standard program. And now comes the best part: Everywhere you see thumbs up and smiling faces. People look after him in rapture, the same at every traffic light. They point at me. Joy, applause, waving, taking pictures. Because that’s also part of the original driving experience that the Microlino undoubtedly conveys: driving fun in the city! I can’t remember the last time I experienced this.
The challenges of the future are above all the challenges of individual, intelligent and networked mobility. Mobility drives us, mobility moves us. People want mobility, they want to be mobile. Individual mobility arises from the desire to decide for ourselves when, how and where we move. Mobility patterns are becoming more diverse and complex. The need for safety, health, an intact environment and a general quality of life is increasing. In addition to new vehicles (not just cargo bikes), digitalization will become the central basis for tomorrow’s mobility principles. As a globally active company, SIXT has set itself the task of making mobility demand-oriented, simple and secure. In Germany, thanks to a cooperation with the provider MILES, additional vehicles are now available under SIXT share in addition to the company’s own car-sharing service in Berlin, Hamburg and Munich, as well as now in Augsburg, Bonn, Duisburg, Düsseldorf, Cologne, Potsdam, Stuttgart and Wuppertal. It turns out that cities are increasingly converting roads and parking spaces for cars into public mobility spaces. Road and parking space for cars will be reduced, cycle paths and footpaths will be expanded and prioritised together with local public transport. This trend towards relieving urban roads in favour of cycling, walking and public transport has gained a lot of momentum. As a result, traffic areas are increasingly being transformed into spaces of opportunity for mobility. The equal treatment of the available space and the dismantling of the car-friendly city increase the urban quality of life: living, living and working spaces are becoming more attractive and healthier and they are growing together. Mobility is at the heart of this change.
But back to the Microlino. There is still something to say about the interior. The first thing you notice: In addition to the Swiss flag on the dashboard, the solid workmanship. Nothing seems cheap, everything just the way you want it to be – as simple and solidly equipped as my old Porsche 911. And just like the classic car, the Microlino doesn’t have air conditioning or infotainment. On the other hand, in addition to the driving pleasure already described, there is a comparatively large trunk that holds 230 liters or the equivalent of several beer crates and is equipped with a tightly closing flap.
For the technicians among the readers: Thanks to the 14 kWh battery, you could travel up to 230 kilometers, which corresponds to a consumption of a good 6 kWh/100 km. In reality, it’s more like eight kWh plus x, but still: Economical “heavyweights” like Tesla’s Model 3 get at best 14 to 15 kWh/100 km, the large electric BMW iX SUV more like 20 kWh/100 km plus. However, they are all (almost always) too big for fast commutes in the city and the surrounding area as well as posing in front of the café. Big here means less fun in the city! Because of the small battery, which can only be charged with up to 2.6 kW, you have to wait around four hours in the worst case before you can continue again. Just more time for a cappuccino. And what do we do instead? To the applause of the bystanders, I squeeze the dwarf backwards into a narrow parking space. There I am allowed to park the Microlino perpendicular to the direction of travel, which makes the purest show possible: the grand entrance, when we get out upright and with a smile on our faces to the delight of all the bystanders!
