Chinese start-up Linktour Automotive wants to bring its tiny EVs to European streets
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Linktour Automotive showcased its Alumi Elite micro car at the Munich car show on Sept 8.
PHOTO: BLOOMBERG
Follow topic:
- Linktour Automotive, a Chinese startup, is launching two micro EVs, the L6e and L7e, in Europe, targeting 20,000 sales next year.
- These quadricycles avoid EU EV import tariffs and feature innovative aluminium frames and integrated battery structures for enhanced efficiency.
- Linktour aims for competitive pricing against rivals like Citroen and Renault, focusing on overseas markets due to domestic competition.
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MUNICH, Germany – Chinese electric vehicle (EV) brands led by BYD are winning over European customers with sleek, high-tech models at competitive prices.
Now, a start-up is looking to muscle in on a more modest market: micro cars.
Linktour Automotive’s two new Alumi all-electric models – the L6e and L7e – measure just over 2.6m long and have top speeds of 45kmh and 90kmh, respectively. The two-door vehicles are technically motorised quadricycles, meaning they are exempt from the European Union’s EV import tariffs set in place in 2024.
Even with the duties, Chinese EV makers are carving out a growing share of the European market by leveraging their lower-cost manufacturing to keep selling prices reasonable.
Expanding overseas is a priority for an increasing number of them as fierce competition and a crackdown on aggressive discounting at home weigh on their sales outlook.
“We’ve been focused on the overseas market from the very beginning,” Linktour chief executive William Tang said in an interview at the Munich auto show last week. “We don’t have the baggage of a domestic market.”
Still, Linktour’s European plans bring their own challenges. Micro cars are popular in the region and the Chinese brand will be up against better-known marques like Citroen and Renault, which both offer two-door, two-seat micro EVs.
The L-series vehicles will first launch in Italy in November, and Linktour is targeting sales of 20,000 units across Europe in 2026.
Mr Tang declined to give pricing for the new models, but said they will be “competitive” in the market. The Citroen Ami starts at around €7,990 (S$12,079) and the Renault Mobilize Duo goes for around €9,090.
Linktour’s L6e has a maximum range of 120km and the L7e 180km. Because of their small size, they can be charged at home using a standard outlet and feature a 10.25-inch touchscreen and a 5-inch intelligent panel for basics such as CarPlay and remote controls.
The carmaker is also betting that its innovative construction may win over customers. The vehicles integrate the battery cells directly into their structure, boosting safety and handling.
And the L-series is the first in its class to use an all-aluminium frame, which weighs less than 100kg – a 45 per cent weight reduction over steel-based bodies that improves energy efficiency, according to the company.
That also makes the models a test case for Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group, parent of aluminium producer China Hongqiao Group as well as Linktour.
Manufacturers across the industry are looking at ways to create more lightweight, high-performance and corrosion-resistant alloys for the EV market. Shandong Weiqiao has said it supplies products to BYD and Xiaomi Corp.
Beyond the L-series micro EVs, Linktour plans to gradually introduce larger vehicles into markets like the United Kingdom and the Middle East, Mr Tang said, adding the next product would be built on a longer, more standard wheelbase.
“Tariffs aren’t our biggest worry right now,” he said. “The genuine challenge is gaining consumer acceptance.” BLOOMBERG
