This Chinese Micro EV Makes The Fiat Topolino Look Bare-Bones

The €8,000 Astraux tiny EV has all the features you would expect to find in an actual car, despite technically not being one.

Photo by: Everything Electric Show

Andrei Nedelea

By: Andrei Nedelea

Jul 12, at 12:47pm ET

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The €7,990 Astraux AL6 adds air conditioning, electric windows, cameras, and up to 112 miles of claimed range.
The faster AL7 Pro reaches 56 mph and offers 93 miles of range, putting it in the more capable L7e class.
Astraux still has to prove its safety, reliability, and support, but the Ami and Topolino already look pretty basic in comparison.

Quadricycles are nothing new in Europe. They’ve been around for years, and more recently, most of them have become electric, but they’ve always had one characteristic in common: they are about as spartan and no-frills as four-wheeled vehicles get, even the latest ones like the Citroen Ami or its Italian cousin, the Fiat Topolino.

But that will change once the Astraux AL6 and AL7 Pro hit the European market, and not only will they undercut the Ami and Topolino on price, but they will also offer a lot more features. It promises to be safer, too, thanks to a sturdy monocoque construction that makes the Ami's welded tube frame covered by plastic look insubstantial.

Everything Electric APAC had a look around one of these AL7 Pro quadricycles in China, and it’s definitely impressive for the price. The base model, the AL6, with a 5-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a top speed of 28 mph (45 km/h), starts at €7,990, about the same as the Ami.

However, the AL6 comes standard with equipment that the Ami could only dream of. Air conditioning is standard, as are electric windows, an infotainment screen with Apple CarPlay, and around-view cameras and parking sensors. There are also USB ports to charge your devices, including a wireless charger, and you can choose either a 5-kWh battery or a 10-kWh pack (both LFP), which give 59 and 112 miles of range, respectively.

Astraux will also offer a more powerful AL7 Pro model, which will start at €11,990 including VAT, will only be available with the larger battery, and will deliver a range of 93 miles. With 27 horsepower, it reaches a top speed of 56 mph (90 km/h), and the video shows that it can get up to speed pretty quickly.

European quadricycles are split into two main classes. L6e models are the slower, lighter variety, capped at 28 mph (45 km/h), which is where the Citroën Ami, Fiat Topolino, and Astraux AL6 fit. L7e models can be heavier and more powerful, with enclosed passenger versions allowed to reach 56 mph (90 km/h). The Astraux AL7 Pro and Microlino fall into that category, making them considerably more useful on faster urban and suburban roads, although neither is subjected to all the same safety requirements as a conventional passenger car.

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The AL7 Pro’s capabilities aren’t the issue; rather, the question is whether Astraux (a brand-new company) can deliver a reliable vehicle that actually works. At €11,990, buyers will expect more than cute styling and a long list of gadgets.

Still, it already makes the Ami and Topolino look like they were stopped in development halfway through. It’s in the same league as the Microlino but with more features and for around half the price. The design may draw many people to the Astraux, since it looks unusual and cartoonish, with its very tall greenhouse, overall proportions, and quirky lighting.