ElectricBrands launches Evetta: electrification of Italian 🇮🇹 Iso's / BMW's iconic 1950s Isetta microcar

🇩🇪 25 November 2023 by Motorcycle Journalist

An iconic 1950s microcar reborn as an electric version by ElectricBrands from 🇩🇪 Germany.

ElectricBrands was founded in 2020 and has since acquired several electric vehicle brands, including Artega that originally introduced the electric "bubble car" under the name "Karo" in 2019.

The Evetta design is based on the legendary BMW Isetta. The microcar was originally designed and manufactured by the Italian moped and scooter brand 🇮🇹 Iso that was one of the biggest competitors of Vespa and Lambretta in the 1950s, producing hundreds of scooters per day. In 1953 the Italian company ventured in the microcar industry with the creation of the iconic Isetta "bubble car", which quickly gained popularity and became a status symbol in Italy.

In 1955, BMW acquired the licensing rights for the Isetta and began producing it using a BMW one-cylinder, four-stroke, 247cc motorcycle engine. The first BMW Isetta appeared in April 1955. The Isetta's compact size, efficient design, and affordability made it a success, with BMW selling 50,000 units in less than a year. The Isetta's success allowed BMW to avoid bankruptcy and became one of its most iconic models. Over the eight years it was in production, 161,728 Isettas were sold, making it one of the most successful one-cylinder cars in the world.