Words by Craig Thomas

At the recent IAA mobility show in Munich, in addition to the usual cornucopia of concepts cars from major brands, it was also possible to see some smaller four-wheeled vehicles on display. The likes of the Microlino, from Swiss company Micro, and the Yoyo from Italian-Chinese start-up XEV, showed that drivers around the world are ready for something other than a huge SUV.

Consultants McKinsey have already predicted that the market for minimobility – small electric vehicles that can carry one or two people – could be worth $100m globally by 2030. 

The same report highlighted a survey of 26,000 people in eight countries, more than 30% of whom said that likely or very likely to consider using a minimobility vehicle as one of their future mobility options. Understandably, there was marked difference between town and country users: 90% of the respondents who would consider these vehicles live in urban and suburban areas, while only about 10% lived in rural areas. 

What minimobility offers

Minimobility vehicles – which are often classified as quadricycles, rather than actual cars – are an attractive urban mobility option for three main reasons.

1. Minimobility vehicles consume fewer resources and energy during their production.
2. The energy required to run a minimobility vehicle is less than is needed for standard EV, making them cheaper to use and reducing overall demand for electricity.
3. Minimobility vehicles improve road safety on the road because they are usually slower and more visible to pedestrians and cyclists.

In urban areas, minimobility could become a viable mode of transport, particularly as a car sharing option, because their reduced dimensions (compared to a regular car) mean they can reduce congestion, require less space for parking and have lower emissions. 

They also create competition for micromobility modes such as bicycles and e-scooters, because they’re safer on the road and offer more protection to inclement weather – not to be sniffed at in a British autumn or winter. They would also be cheaper to hire than a standard EV, making them more accessible to a diverse population.

Lower in cost than standard cars, minimobility vehicles might also be attractive to car clubs and sharing providers, as they would require less upfront capital investment. Indeed, they would be another modal product for sharing companies, alongside bicycles, mopeds and e-scooters. A customer would be able to choose from among these options, depending on their journey: if they have to carry something large or heavy, such as a weekly shop, minimobility is a better alternative to a bicycle.

Carmakers seeing the gap in the market

Quadricycles have been on sale for some time in Europe, built by companies such as Ligier and Aixam, but the new minimobility impetus is attracting traditional car manufacturers to the market that are looking to extend their brand and model line-ups into this increasingly appealing segment. Citroen has, in the last few years, launched the Ami, with sister company Opel marketing its own version, the Rocks-e, in Germany.

Fleets of minimobility vehicles offer a number of advantages as a mode of transport in urban areas and could even, if available through car clubs, help reduce the number of cars on the road – and, as a result, free up roadspace for more active travel. 

Don’t be surprised if we start seeing more of them on our roads over the next decade