Test Drive Report ARI 902: Square, Practical, Electric, Good!

How much car does a person need? After the Dacia Spring, the ARI 902, another electric mini in a lower class, poses the crucial question: starting at €13,990, approximately the same price. It's a bit unfair because the Dacia receives the full environmental bonus, while the L7e-electric vehicle from Borna near Leipzig only gets regional or local incentives. It's time for light electric vehicles to also benefit: After all, they combine two central goals under a short hood: energy and space efficiency. In this case, the question is precisely posed by a micro vehicle whose Japanese brand name fittingly means ant in German: with a length of 2.95 meters, a width of 1.49 meters, and a stately height of 1.52 meters, the L7e-CU-class electric light vehicle adapted for Europe by a Chinese manufacturer from Saxony is almost on par with a Smart in length but significantly slimmer in width.

Without a battery, the little vehicle must not weigh more than about 600 kilos according to standards; with a battery, the E-micro weighs 743 kilograms. This allows for consistent downsizing and provides a refreshing counterpoint to the gigantism of Tesla & Co. The battery of a Mercedes EQS-SUV could power ten of these clever Chinese vehicles… not to mention that an EQS behemoth weighs as much as three and a half of the L7e-mobiles.

The middle version achieves 140 kilometers

The middle lithium-ion battery, with a nominal 10.35 kWh, is supposed to achieve 140 kilometers of range, which is likely realistic in city traffic. In rural operations, where we also moved the vehicle at over 90 km/h, which the brushless 15-kW electric motor can handle with a bit of run-up, a good 100 kilometers is achievable in the middle version. The base variant with 9.2 kWh capacity manages 110 kilometers, which according to ARI CEO and co-founder Thomas Kuwatsch is sufficient for many of the primarily business-oriented customers. The top version with 18.5 kWh then enables a week's use if no charging option is available. Speaking of which: A household plug with 220 volts is sufficient, and the battery will be recharged in three to four and a half hours, depending on its size. Those who wish can also equip the optional roof rack with a solar panel to further extend the range.

Pragmatic-Oriented Customers

To pragmatic customers, who are reportedly quite open to new solutions, the 766-liter trunk, which features a wooden floor with tie-down loops in the cargo variant, is more important in case of doubt. It is quite accessible through a high-swinging tailgate despite a somewhat high loading sill and can be expanded to almost 1.5 cubic meters by removing the passenger seat if necessary! Okay, the clampable partition grid could be less rattling and more firmly fixed for emergencies. At least there's a tow bar option, which is sufficient for light trailers up to 350 kilos. They want to deliver a "tool," a vehicle as a tool, Kuwatsch emphasizes multiple times.

The Ease of Being an Electric Car

The ease of being an electric car ensures equally loose and light handling, especially with the power steering option, which also includes air conditioning. Driving the 902 reminds one a bit of "bumper cars for advanced drivers." You turn the wheel with the heel of your hand and maneuver almost as if standing still. U-turns are a true joy, the visibility is excellent, and you squeeze through the narrowest city alleys as well as the smallest parking spaces. Parking in the second row hardly causes a stir here, an important aspect for the targeted clientele "service providers, suppliers, everyday heroes," as Thomas Kuwatsch puts it. 

When you take corners a bit more quickly, you can rely on a fairly secure road holding despite the narrow track and high build, thanks to the low center of gravity provided by the battery. The all-around independent suspension McPherson chassis absorbs the rather stiff body quite well, ensuring a safe ride. Even strong side winds don't cause panic. If necessary, the ABS brakes - discs in the front, drums in the back - grip adequately on the 14-inch wheels.

Mobileye Warns of Lane Departure Optionally

The well-known Mobileye retrofit system optionally warns loudly of lane departures and speed limit violations. What might be missing is perhaps a regenerative braking system. In Eco mode, acceleration is quite sluggish and limited to 75 km/h (or less, if preferred), which makes you want to switch modes for out-of-town driving. After driving, the car charges via a charging port at the front, ensuring short and loss-free paths to the battery management system and into the battery.

What the 902 electric mini has in common with a (conventional) gasoline car is the quirky foot-operated parking brake, but it does its job. The drive modes are selected via a rotary knob, but you should ensure to cleanly shift over "N". The infotainment system, with its matte and only responsive to firm touches screen, offers only basic functions but reliably connects your phone, allowing you to play your own music. The interior design strives for cheerfulness and a pleasant appearance. Sure, it's all plastic, but it exudes a certain joie de vivre. This extends to the optional pop-up glass roof. The digital speedometer provides essential information, though a real-time consumption-to-range display is notably absent.

Rearview Camera: Wow, So Much Space!

There's a rearview camera, which, though unnecessary, illustrates how much space is still left to the curb. In a standard five-meter parking spot, you could fit two 902s. Additionally, you sit on fairly decent, but only length-adjustable seats, and two people have enough shoulder and headroom. The emergency seats in the rear, intended for China, are not allowed in the European commercial L7e category.

Where savings were made due to weight regulations, the technicians from Borna freely admit, is in the noise and suspension insulation. Instinctively, you reach for the electric window switches or the door handle when a truck passes by. Wind, rolling, and drivetrain noises are not spared. In this little vehicle, even "normal" transporters seem monstrously large, and you may feel not taken seriously. But you should: This downsizing concept of the highest quality rolls through urban and suburban traffic, consuming little energy, space, and thus resources. And that's also economically intended.

Calculates for Environment and Business

Thus, the 902 could prove beneficial for both the environment and businesses, similar to the other carefully selected light electric vehicles from Chinese sources, adapted and individualized with special bodies at their own body manufacturing in Ricany/Czech Republic. There is only one N1 van in the lineup, the 901, which usually goes to customers as a flatbed, simply because the market currently doesn't offer many affordable electric flatbeds.