Top 10 Mini EVs and Mini Electric Cars to Hit the Highways with

Hello viewer and welcome to the future. Micro cars, mini EVs, and small electric cars are part of an industry that is growing and innovating rapidly. From mini EVs that can take you anywhere a regular gas-powered car can, to China's most successful EV, to futuristic mini EVs that may not ever reach production, we've compiled a list of the best small mini EVs and small electric cars. And number one is definitely futuristic, so you'll surely want to stick around to the end to see it. Before we continue, if you love futuristic electric vehicle related videos like this, be sure to hit that subscribe button and ding the notification bell. We're trying to hit 10,000 subscribers, so do us a favor and turn that subscribe button from red to gray. It really does help us out. Now on to the video. Number 10, VW Nils. Kicking off our top 10 list of mini electric cars is the Nils by Volkswagen. Originally premiered at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, this fully electric one-seater concept car attempts to combine sports car-like performance with the silence and comfort of a modern EV. The F1-inspired design of the Nils includes outboard mounted 17-inch wheels with low rolling resistance tires and a single electric powertrain located just behind the driver's seat. The 15-kilowatt motor delivers power to the rear wheels only and has a peak 25-kilowatt overboost option that allows the vehicle to accelerate quicker for a short period of time. Co-developed by Volkswagen and the German Federal Ministry of Transport, Building and Urban Development, the Nils comes with a 5.3-kilowatt-hour battery that offers a range distance of 40 miles per charge that can be fully charged in just under two hours. While an EV with a 40-mile range does seem absurd here in 2021, keep in mind that this mini-EV concept car premiered over a decade ago in 2011, long before Tesla and other EV manufacturers had poured billions of dollars into battery technology research and development. The electric powertrain weighs in at just over 42 pounds, and the entire car itself weighs just over 1,000 pounds, giving the Nils a top speed of 80 miles an hour and a 0-60 time of just under 11 seconds. The cabin is surrounded by polycarbonate gull-wing doors, giving the driver the feel of being in a DeLorean from Back to the Future. 9. Citroën Ami The Ami is a fully electric mini-EV developed by French-based auto manufacturer Citroën. This ultra-compact and colorful urban mobility vehicle is technically classified as an electric quadricycle, allowing the manufacturer to sidestep a whole host of big-boy car regulations. In fact, the Ami, and many others on this list, are miniature vehicles meant to replace bus trips, e-scooters, skateboards, or electric bicycles, but not necessarily cars themselves. The Ami is 1.4 meters wide and 2.4 meters long, or should we say 2.4 meters short, and can seat two people relatively comfortably. Under the hood is a 6-kilowatt motor and 5.5 kilowatt-hour battery that powers the front axle and delivers a top speed of 30 miles an hour and range of 47 miles. While that range isn't the greatest, a full charge can be achieved from any standard socket in just three hours. The body is made of unpainted blue Ami colored plastic that is mounted on a very square and modular chassis. In fact, if you look closely, you'll notice the front and back panels, as well as the side panels, are symmetrical, allowing for easy swappability and decreased production costs. This is one of the reasons the Citroën Ami costs just $6,000 to purchase outright. However, as with most things these days, there are other ownership options. For £2,600 plus £20 per month, you can lease the ride for 48 months, or you can simply give it a test ride on the free-to-move car sharing app, if you live in France, Spain, Italy, Belgium, Portugal, or Germany, that is. Number 8. Wuling Mini EV Now it's time to talk about one of the most successful mini electric vehicles to date, and of course, I'm talking about the Wuling Mini EV. This microcar was developed as a partnership between Chinese auto manufacturer SAIC and US auto manufacturer GM. Production began on the Wuling Mini EV in July of 2020, and as of January 2021, over 160,000 units have been delivered, virtually all within China. The Hongguang Wuling Mini EV comes with two battery options. The first is the smaller 9.2 kWh battery pack that delivers a range of 120 km or 75 miles, and the 13.8 kWh battery pack that can deliver a range of 170 km or 110 miles. The single 13 kW motor delivers 17.4 hp and 62.7 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. This vehicle can seat four people and has a top speed of 100 km or 62 mph. Prices in USD range from $4,162 for the base model to $5,607 for the fully loaded version, making it China's cheapest EV. The Wuling Mini EV will also soon come in a convertible cabriolet style model. Stay tuned for more information about that. Number 7. Renault Twizy This two-seater miniature car is classified as a microcar, and was developed and marketed by French auto manufacturer Renault. There are two models, each with separate power outputs and numbers that correspond to the top speed and kilometers. For instance, the Twizy 45 has a 4 kW motor and a top speed of 45 km per hour, while the Twizy 80 has a 13 kW motor and a top speed of 80 km per hour. Each model has a 6.1 kWh battery and an electric range of about 56 miles. The Twizy was initially revealed as a concept car in 2009, and due to much fanfare, production began in 2012 and continues to this day. Prices range from €6,990 to €8,490, but one interesting fact is that the price does not include the battery. Rather, the battery packs are leased for a monthly fee that includes full battery pack replacement and roadside assistance if needed. The Twizy was the top-selling electric plug-in vehicle in Europe in 2012, and cumulative sales of the vehicle totaled 30,000 units by December 2019, majoritively in European markets. And if the Twizy is just too boring for you, remember, in 2013, Renault Sport revealed the Twizy F1, which is a really cool Formula 1 version of the Twizy. 6. Unity One Swedish company Unity One initially crowdsourced over $1 million to build a prototype of their mini electric urban vehicle, claiming the final production version would cost under $23,000 or €20,000 while delivering over 300 km of range. The battery pack is 22 kWh and capable of DC charging that can refill 200 km of range in just 30 minutes. The top speed is 70 mph and the 0-60 time is just shy of 10 seconds, making the Unity One an interstate and highway-ready minicar. The interior is capable of holding three passengers plus 150 liters of storage with its innovative one-in-the-front, two-in-the-back seating arrangement. Need more room? The back two seats fold down to make room for up to 760 liters of storage if needed. The one-plus-two seating configuration allows for riders in the back seat to easily get in and out without having to move the front seat. One cool feature of the Unity One is the electrochromic roof that lightens and darkens according to the amount of sunlight outside. When it's lighter outside, the electrochromic glass receives more solar radiation and becomes more transparent. When it's darker outside, the glass receives less solar radiation and becomes less transparent. There are now over 3,000 investors in Unity from over 40 countries globally, and chances are you may see one of these Number 5. Zakua MX-3 Based out of Mexico City, the Zakua MX-3 is the first-ever electric car 100% built-in and specifically designed for Mexico. In fact, Zakua's company mission is to create better urban mobility while decreasing environmental impacts to accelerate Mexico's transition to greener technologies. First available in January of 2019, this two-seater, three-door electric vehicle weighs a mere 1,500 pounds and has a top speed of 53 mph. The PMSM electric motor delivers a maximum power output of 34 kW and 87 Nm of torque via the front-wheel drive single-speed transmission. The lithium LiFePO4 battery pack has a capacity of 18 kWh, and the SAE J1772 charger can fully charge the vehicle in 8 hours, giving a maximum range of 71 miles or roughly 115 kilometers. The turning radius is a mere 4 meters or 13 feet, allowing the driver to access even the smallest of urban areas and parking spaces. The regenerative braking supplies the battery pack with additional power, and the current price is 599,000 pesos or just shy of $30,000. Number 4. Eli Zero The Eli Zero is classified as an NEV or Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, which means it's legal to use on most streets with posted speed limits of 35 miles or less. This is great since the top speed of this mini EV is a mere 25 mph, making it great for commuting to and from work or cruising around your local community, but not necessarily getting on the highway. The maximum battery range is 70 miles, making this no-frills, compact two-seater fun to drive and easy to use to get all of your daily errands complete. The lithium battery cells in the Eli Zero are three times more energy-dense than typical lead-acid batteries and offer a charge time of 2.5 hours via a 240-volt outlet or 5 hours via a traditional 120-volt outlet. There's also an optional battery heating system that can significantly improve overall battery performance in cold weather and cold climates. What's more, the braking system collects energy when decelerating to improve range efficiency. Most mini EVs do not offer power steering or power brakes, mostly to decrease production costs, but the Eli Zero breaks this tradition and has power-assisted brakes and power-assisted steering so you can easily slow down and turn. This mini EV also comes standard with a rearview camera, keyless start and ignition, and a dual-drive mode perfect for short trips. The MPG-E is estimated at 285 miles, making it several times more efficient than traditional cars, and the price tag starts at a mere $12,000. 3. Audi Urban Also revealed at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, the Audi Urban and Audi Urban Spider is a one-plus-one style two-seater mini EV specifically made for urban and metropolitan areas. This mini EV has four tires and a steering wheel, but doesn't fit into any modern automobile category. With a weight of 480 kilograms or roughly 1,050 pounds, this concept EV attempts to combine race car and roadster elements with a fun small city commuter car. However, with only a 20-horsepower electric motor, the Audi Urban might just be an over-styled and underpowered mini EV meant to steal visual thunder from the likes of BMW. The cockpit is a lesson in functional minimalism, with only a small digital instrument panel, push-button gear selector, air vents, and a hazard button. Not many other specs are available regarding price or battery range. So what do you think? How far can the Audi Urban go on a single charge? Would you ever buy one of these sleek-looking mini EVs? Let us know below. 2. Honda New V Meet the New V, which stands for New Electric Urban Vehicle, a concept vehicle developed by Honda that originally premiered in 2017. This concept mini EV is built on the fact that privately-owned vehicles sit idle roughly 96% of the time. Taking this into consideration, Honda built a Level 4 semi-autonomous concept vehicle that can add value to the owner by going out to earn money as an autonomous ride-sharing vehicle. Yet, like many other EV companies right now, Honda is developing autonomous and semi-autonomous vehicles that can make money for their owners by becoming robot taxis when the owner is not using the car. Honda also partnered with SoftBank to create a helpful AI assistant software named the Honda Automated Network Assistant, or HANA for short. This software works as an emotion engine that will learn from the driver and detect emotions behind the driver's judgments and send recommendations for future driver-based decisions. The last two big features on the Honda New V are the large touchscreen displays that cover the entire length of the dashboard and the electric skateboard that mounts and charges in the back of the vehicle. The touchscreen is much larger than any other display featured thus far and gives all the updates and specs related to the operation of the car. Curious to know what number one is? Before we get there, did you know that YouTube recommends you get one like for every 25 views on a video? If you enjoyed this top 10 mini EV list, be sure to give this video a thumbs up. Number 1. Smart EQ Closing out our list is a mini EV by the subcompact auto manufacturer Smart, who happens to be owned by Daimler. The Smart EQ 4.2 is the EV variant of the popular gas-powered 4.4. Initially released in 2007 with 100 production units sold in the London market only, the Smart EQ is now on its fourth generation and is available in many markets across the globe. The fourth generation Smart EQ went into production in 2017 with a new body and 17.6 kWh battery that gives the car a range of 58 miles or roughly 93 km. The permanent magnet AC synchronous motor has a peak power output of 55 kW or 74 hp and 130 Nm or 96 lb-ft of torque. The top speed is 78 mph, making it highway or interstate capable, and the 0-60 time is 11.5 seconds. You definitely won't beat a Tesla, but unlike some of the other mini EVs on this list, you'll at least be able to take this one for a decent road trip. The MPG-E equivalent for this ride is 122 miles per gallon, so get ready to save money and save the planet with our number one pick.