Another electric Isetta is ready to release a fatal dose of cuteness onto European city streets. The latest one will be made by German boutique sports car manufacturer Artega, which reinvented itself as a 100-percent electric car maker.
Artega has just announced that its Karo-Isetta two-seat EV is scheduled to go on sale in Germany later this month with a choice of two equipment lines (Intro and Edition), six paint finishes and an exclusive velour/leather interior. The company is confident the first deliveries and test drives will take place in April.
The Karo-Isetta is said to offer a driving range of 200 km thanks to the lithium-ion battery pack supplied by Voltabox. No acceleration time is supplied but we learn the electric bubble car can reach a top speed of 90 km/h. Built on a steel chassis, it can take a maximum payload of 200 kg.
Prices in Germany start from € 17,995 (US$ 20,100) for the Edition model and € 21,995 (US$ 24,550) for the Intro limited edition. In order to secure their Karo-Isetta, prospective customers must pay a € 2,500 (US$ 2,800) reservation fee. The deposit must be paid within seven days after placing the order and is “protected against loss by a renowned German insurance company.”
There’s not much to comment on the looks, as the Karo-Isetta looks like a 1950s Iso Isetta bubble car that has undergone a restomod treatment. Modern features include body-integrated LED headlights with integrated turn signals, LED DRLs, as well as LED taillights. In order to avoid messing with the original design, the Type 2 charging plug at the rear is styled like the classic Isetta’s fuel cap.
Interestingly, Artega claims its Karo-Isetta was officially recognized as the successor to the 1950s Iso Isetta by the heirs of designer Ermenegildo Preti. Despite that, rival Micro Mobility Systems obtained an intellectual property injunction in a German court last year requiring Artega to change the design of its electric bubble car. In the end, the two companies reached an out-of-court settlement that will enable both electric Isettas to co-exist on the market. The Swiss firm claims it has 16,000 reservations for its Microlino, which will enter production in 2021.
