Chinese Startup Wants to Bring Its Tiny EVs to European Streets

A Linktour vehicle at the IAA Mobility 2025 expo in Munich Photo by Krisztian Bocsi /Photographer: Krisztian Bocsi/Bl

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(Bloomberg) — Chinese electric vehicle brands led by BYD Co. are winning over European customers with sleek, high-tech models at competitive prices. Now, a startup is looking to muscle in on a more modest market: micro cars.

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Linktour Automotive’s two new ‘Alumi’ all-electric models — the L6e and L7e — measure just over 2.6 meters (8.5 feet) long and have top speeds of 45 kilometers (28 miles) per hour and 90 kilometers per hour, respectively. The two-door vehicles are technically motorized quadricycles, meaning they’re exempt from the European Union’s EV import tariffs set in place last year.

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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 weighs on their sales outlook.

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“We’ve been focused on the overseas market from the very beginning,” Linktour Chief Executive Officer William Tang said in an interview at the Munich auto show last week. “We don’t have the baggage of a domestic market.”

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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 SA which both offer two-door, two-seat micro EVs. 

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The L-series vehicles will first launch in Italy in November and Linktour is targeting sales of 20,000 across Europe next year. 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 ($9,400) and the Renault Mobilize Duo goes for around €9,090. 

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Linktour’s L6e has a maximum range of 120 kilometers and the L7e has a 180 kilometer range. 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 like CarPlay and remote controls. 

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The carmaker is also betting 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-aluminum frame, which weighs less than 100 kilograms — a 45% weight reduction over steel-based bodies that improves energy efficiency, according to the company.

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That also makes the models a test case for Shandong Weiqiao Pioneering Group, parent of aluminum 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.

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Beyond the L-series micro EVs, Linktour plans to gradually introduce larger vehicles into markets like the UK and the Middle East, Tang said, adding the next product would be built on a longer, more standard wheelbase. 

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“Tariffs aren’t our biggest worry right now,” said Tang. “The genuine challenge is gaining consumer acceptance.”

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