Artega Karolino

Do you remember the BMW Isetta from the 1950s? This scooter mobile was the right product at the right time for some time. But it wasn’t developed in Munich – at least not 100 percent of it. Originally, a certain Mr Renzo Rivolta had developed the Isetta with his company Iso Rivolta in Italy. BMW bought the rights to produce it as well as Vélam from France, Iso España from Spain or Indústrias Romi from Brazil. Why do we tell all this while this article features the new Artega Karolino? Because at this point history repeats itself twice.

On the one hand, Artega from Delbrück/Germany took over all rights, plans, documents and prototypes of the Microlino project from the Italian Tazzari Group last November in order to develop the electric city car production-ready. On the other hand, the Microlino quite deliberately cites the classic Isetta, including the front door and the fabric sunroof. In addition to the original project, for which there are already numerous pre-orders, Artega will now offer a further developed car named Karolino. Pilot production has already started after the engineering team incorporated more than 150 engineering improvements into the design.

For example, Artega modified the suspension and brakes to significantly improve driveability and braking distance. For the interior, Artega also offers optional comfort seats in place of the full-length bench. On request, the vehicle can also be equipped with an infotainment system including smartphone connectivity, a high-quality sound system and voice control with artificial intelligence. This system was developed by Artega’s parent company Paragon, while the batteries and the on-board electronics come from Voltabox, another subsidiary of Paragon. These components reduce power consumption, increase the range and enable the Karolino to be charged at fast-charging points.

From October, the series-ready Karolino will be delivered, for which Artega will set up its own regional centers in major German cities. The small car runs as a lifestyle concept for modern urban mobility and is considered as an L7e vehicle, so as a lightweight electric car with four wheels and a weight between 400 and 550 kilograms. In some European countries, these vehicles can already be purchased and moved with an entry-level driver’s license. As part of the IAA (Frankfurt Motor Show) in September, Artega will present first copies of the Karolino and a newly developed configurator, through which one can play with the different colors, interior designs and options. Next to that a first driveable prototype of the new electric sports car Artega Scalo will debut.

Images: Artega