Lightweight cars, also known as microcars or moped cars, have been around for years. Among other things, they promise a low CO2footprint and thus benefits for the climate.
In addition, they are comparatively inexpensive and the electrically powered representatives in particular are a financially interesting alternative to expensive electric cars.
The tiny cars are also attracting interest from novice drivers, because even 15-year-olds are allowed to get behind the wheel of the slower L6e and 16-year-olds behind that of the faster L7e variants.
The lightweights are often touted as a supposedly safe alternative to scooters and 125cc motorcycles. But it is precisely the issue of safety that is also the Achilles' heel of these dwarfs, because they are subject to various cost-cutting constraints that make them dangerous, at least for their users, as a recent crash test proves once again.
The trigger for the rekindled discussion about the safety of microcars was a crash test commissioned by the TV show "auto mobil – das VOX Automagazin" and carried out by the testing company Dekra.with the L6e representatives Citroen Ami and Aixam Access.
Both vehicles were driven at 45 km/h, i.e. their maximum speed, against a stationary obstacle with 40 percent overlap.
Dekra's conclusion was frightening and understandable in view of the images of the deformed vehicles shown: According to this, in such a scenario, forces act on the driver that are classified as potentially fatal. The television report, which was broadcast in November 2024, provided a not inconsiderable and probably desired media echo with statements such as "horror result". The widespread reservations of German car buyers about this vehicle class are unlikely to have diminished after this article.
Read the full article at Microcars: Why lightweight cars are under criticism
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