Microcars - Common in your country ?

[NordikNerd]

Once in a while you see them, the mopedcars also called microcars.

You can be 15 years old and have a AM-license to drive them.

Top speed 45km/h. They cost about 13.000 euro new which is very expensive for what you get; a moped with 4 wheels.

These vehicles first came on the market in the early 2000's. Are microcars available in all other countries ? are they popular ?

Would you buy one if you didn't have a driver's license ??

[Alemanniafan]

The type of microcar you showed are available in Germany also, but not popular at all.
I've only ever seen one or two of those drive around on a street in my life.
About this category of cars they had a comparison test in a very popular german car clubs magazine here (ADAC) a while ago which revealed several safety issues in micro cars, especially when compared to real cars, mostly issues concering really bad results in crashtests.
Several years ago to drive those microcars (exceptions were tractors and other machinery and electric wheelchairs) it was required to have a regular drivers license and also not all of those were allowed on german streets, but with the EU they may now be driven without a drivers license.

Since they're so relatively expensive in comparison to normal cars (basically the same price as a very cheap new regular car) the more popular approach to buying a microcar here is for elderly people either just driving an electric wheelchair (if they get it for medical purposes), for people living in a village on the countryside driving around on tiny little tractor, or the alternative appoach of buying regular car instead (used or new) and having it technically slowed down to a maximum speed of 45 kmph and then legally registering it as a microcar (I remembering reading in the news that someone once even did that to a Ferarri in order to be able to drive one without having a license - but of course ...who knows how much truth to that story really was).

There is one type of microcar around in Germany though which gains a little bit of popularity even though it's still rather rare. But it's not really what one would associate with the term microcar.
Those are the slower and fairly low powered offroad quads which also only run 45kmph. Plain legally speaking those slower quads (not to be confused with the simmilar but faster and more powerful quads which run 60 or 80 kmph of course) are the same kind of vehicle as a microcar though, even though those quads really are indeed just plain mopeds on 4 wheels.

[He Named Thor]

I am assuming you are talking about the small, golf cart like vehicles. Do Kei trucks count too? How about the atv-trucks?

We have many small electric vehicles around, generally in public service. My city's park department uses the Chrysler GEM for instance (this is not from my city):

They are limited to 25mph by safety laws (which I oppose).


Kei trucks are becoming popular with some farmers and college campuses. A popular one is the Suzuki Carry:

Most states have banned their use on the roads, citing safety concerns. (somehow a motorcycle, which has absolutely no occupant protection, is perfectly fine)


Many motorcycle/atv and tractor manufacturers are building atv/pickup hybrids. They are much more common than the other two I mentioned, especially with farmers and hunters. This one by Case IH is a good example:

These are usually not legal on roads, however (this goes for my state of Wisconsin), some counties have relaxed rules for ATVs/"quadbikes" that include these little trucks, allowing them on rural roads.

Understand that the USA has some of the strictest safety and emissions regulations out there. We don't get the bare bones vehicles that other countries get, or grey imports.

[NordikNerd]

Originally Posted by Alemanniafan

but with the EU they may now be driven without a drivers license.

Interesting, in Sweden you need an AM-license to drive a 45km/h microcar.
If you are born before 1989 and drive a 30km/h microcar you don't need a license. These microcars are often 3 wheelers.

Originally Posted by Alemanniafan

the alternative appoach of buying regular car instead (used or new) and having it technically slowed down to a maximum speed of 45 kmph and then legally registering it as a microcar (I remembering reading in the news that someone once even did that to a Ferarri in order to be able to drive one without having a license - but of course ...who knows how much truth to that story really was).

I Sweden many 15 year olds rebuild regular cars and trucks to tractors, so they can drive them with a tractor license.

Originally Posted by He Named Thor

I am assuming you are talking about the small, golf cart like vehicles. Do Kei trucks count too? How about the atv-trucks?

We have many small electric vehicles around, generally in public service. My city's park department uses the Chrysler GEM for instance (this is not from my city):

They are limited to 25mph by safety laws (which I oppose).

That vehicle looks more like a golfcourse car. does it have a licenseplate? Do you need a driver's license to use it?

Originally Posted by He Named Thor

Kei trucks are becoming popular with some farmers and college campuses. A popular one is the Suzuki Carry:

Most states have banned their use on the roads, citing safety concerns. (somehow a motorcycle, which has absolutely no occupant protection, is perfectly fine)

What's the top speed for the suzuki carry? I think this vehicle is a regular car, allthough it's very small.

Originally Posted by He Named Thor

Many motorcycle/atv and tractor manufacturers are building atv/pickup hybrids. They are much more common than the other two I mentioned, especially with farmers and hunters. This one by Case IH is a good example:

These are usually not legal on roads, however (this goes for my state of Wisconsin), some counties have relaxed rules for ATVs/"quadbikes" that include these little trucks, allowing them on rural roads.

Understand that the USA has some of the strictest safety and emissions regulations out there. We don't get the bare bones vehicles that other countries get, or grey imports.

Those ATV's counts as 4 wheel motorcycles where I live, you are allowed to drive them with a B-license (or A if you have that)
You can drive them on the streets if you register them, in the summer you see them in the city sometimes. ATV's are very popular here, especially in the north.

[desiyogi]

The Indian Tata Nano...Don't know if it qualifies as a microcar.



http://www.carsingh.com/new/Tata-Nano.html

[NordikNerd]

Originally Posted by desiyogi

The Indian Tata Nano...Don't know if it qualifies as a microcar.

[]

This car would never make it in Scandinavia unless they put a speed limiter in to it. I sure wouldn't drive it at 100 km/h.

It would make a great microcar for 15 year olds though, considering the price. I think it would cost about 3000 euros.

[M@rtoc]

I see one every day at least, you hear them from far away. Most are Ligier cars, like the one below.



Frankly I didn't know they were so expensive. Budget cars like small Dacias seem quite cheaper.

[NordikNerd]

Originally Posted by M@rtoc

I see one every day at least, you hear them from far away. Most are Ligier cars, like the one below.



Frankly I didn't know they were so expensive. Budget cars like small Dacias seem quite cheaper.

Exactly, the Dacia Sandero costs 999€ which is a lot less than the cheapest microcar.

So the main reason to buy a microcar is:

No driver's licence needed
No auto inspection
No tax

[ZevenZonden]

On the rare occassion that I see those licenseless microcars there's always someone very old driving it. Most of them are from Liegier.

Originally Posted by He Named Thor

This one by Case IH is a good example:

These are usually not legal on roads, however (this goes for my state of Wisconsin), some counties have relaxed rules for ATVs/"quadbikes" that include these little trucks, allowing them on rural roads.

Quads are also allowed on Belgian roads, even on normal roads & in cities. I live in Limburg, a somewhat more rural province in Flanders, and I see them often.

[KiwiGuy]

Not really. Most of the smallest cars you see here are kei cars which are sold either through grey import dealers or officially by the manufacturer themselves. It is possible to see kei cars such as the Daihatsu Copen and Suzuki Wagon R on New Zealand roads and apart from cars such as the Smart and Toyota iQ, these are the smallest cars legally allowed on New Zealand roads.

[He Named Thor]

Originally Posted by NordikNerd

That vehicle looks more like a golfcourse car. does it have a licenseplate? Do you need a driver's license to use it?

Regardless of how it looks, it is an electric car. It is legal to drive on roads, but must be registered as any other car (though there are often special license plates) and require a valid license.

What's the top speed for the suzuki carry? I think this vehicle is a regular car, allthough it's very small.

Then what would the definition of a microcar be? The only vehicle on our roads that wouldn't require a drivers license would be the atv, and as I mentioned, that is not allowed on most roads.


I am curious, if you can register an atv in your country as a motorcycle, do you see them on high-speed motorways?

[Alemanniafan]

Originally Posted by He Named Thor

Regardless of how it looks, it is an electric car. It is legal to drive on roads, but must be registered as any other car (though there are often special license plates) and require a valid license.


Then what would the definition of a microcar be? The only vehicle on our roads that wouldn't require a drivers license would be the atv, and as I mentioned, that is not allowed on most roads.


I am curious, if you can register an atv in your country as a motorcycle, do you see them on high-speed motorways?

In Europe generally it's not really a matter of being an ATV or not wether a car can be registered as a microcar or not, it's basically just a matter of how fast it can go.
Here in Germany for example, if you buy a Porsche block the higher gears choke the engine so the car can technically no longer drive any faster than 45 km/h then you can go to the authorities and have the Porsche registered as a microcar.
ATVs are only allowed on the road here if they fulfill all the technical minimum requirements, some of which mean that the car needs to have sufficient brakes, bumpers, fenders, lights, not be to noisy etc...

If an ATV runs faster than 45 km/h then it's legally no microcar anymore, then it's a real car and must be registered as a real fulllsize car and fulfill all the technical requirements for normal cars, no matter how small it may be.
And if It's a microcar which only runs 45 km/h, then it may naturally not be driven on highspeed motorways because (in Germany) all vehicles allowed on those must be able to drive at least 60 km/h.

[NordikNerd]

A Microcar I spotted today, looks like model car 1:2 scale

Licenseplate not required on the front.

[castermaild55]

Originally Posted by He Named Thor

Regardless of how it looks, it is an electric car. It is legal to drive on roads, but must be registered as any other car (though there are often special license plates) and require a valid license.
I am curious, if you can register an atv in your country as a motorcycle, do you see them on high-speed motorways?

Kei car is 660cc
it is easy for K-truck to get 120 km /h

The Japanese mini truck or KEI truck has been used in Japan since the mid-1960's. And they get about 40 mpg. Top speed is 60-80 mph. They are durable and serve a wide variety of functions from delivery services, construction developments, agricultural operations, and industrial facilities. These trucks are made by reputable manufactures such as Daihatsu, Honda, Mazda, Mitsubishi, Subaru and Suzuki. Most are equipped with 3 or 4 cylinder gas engines of 550 or 660cc. Typically, these trucks have a 4 or 5 speed manual transmission and are 4-wheel drive with payloads ranging from 1,200 to 1,500lbs. All units are pre-owned, are right-hand drive and come standard with cab heater, turn signals, headlights, speedometer, seatbelts, and windshield wipers. Some units even have air conditioning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_X5SwlOsAY

there are many options
http://sportsmemorabilia.hubpages.co...neseMiniTrucks
http://www.westernminitrucks.com/

[Vienna21]

[QUOTE=castermaild55;89561566]Kei car is 660cc
it is easy for K-truck to get 120 km /h


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7_X5SwlOsAY

there are many options
http://sportsmemorabilia.hubpages.co...neseMiniTrucks
http://www.westernminitrucks.com/

[QUOTE]

this is no micro car. It's a Daihatsu Move. It used to be sold in Europe too. Micro cars sound like lawn mowers. I see them almost everyday, but I don't like them, especially in the country side. Here most people driving these "cars" are either older persons, or people who lost their drivers license because of driving in drunk condition

[Sarepava]

In London there are quite a few of these around, the Indian-made Riva G-Wizz which is electric. It's technically a quadricycle not a car, as it wouldn't pass car safety regulations and is limited to about 35mph. Probably a good thing too as it has practically no crash protection and ministers debated banning them after a fatal crash in 2010.

[rkothari123]

Micro cars in India are becoming increasingly popular. Micro cars has already running in India and received very good response. Indian vehicle manufacturers like Sunrise Auto Industries Ltd. and REVA makes micro cars.

[satama]

At the end of 2011 there were 8 366 micro-cars registered in Finland, compared to 225 652 motorbikes.

[NordikNerd]

Originally Posted by satama

At the end of 2011 there were 8 366 micro-cars registered in Finland, compared to 225 652 motorbikes.

About 400 microcars a year are sold here in Sweden and the numbers are increasing.





In suburbia You need at least 2 cars and a microcar for your children.

[Vienna21]

microcar-tuning