Microcars are becoming more and more popular in the Netherlands

They’re teeny, have one or two seats, and are seemingly everywhere in the Netherlands! The microcar is officially back in vogue, according to new figures from Statistics Netherlands (CBS). But exactly why are they proving so popular? 

Number of microcars in the Netherlands up 30 percent in 5 years

Also known as moped cars, city cars, quadricycles or 45 km/h cars, microcars are a type of small, light and fuel-efficient vehicles that became especially popular in the post-World War II era because they represented a cheap form of transportation. 

While they may have gone out of fashion in other countries around the world, in the Netherlands they’ve proven to be enduringly popular and - in recent years - increasingly so. New figures from the CBS show that the number of microcars in the Netherlands is in fact growing rapidly, AD reports. 

There are now 23.666 on the roads, an increase of 30 percent compared to five years ago. Searches on the internet for popular microcar brands like Aixam, Ligier, Microcar and JDM have increased by up to 340 percent in the last two years. 

Why are city cars so popular in the Netherlands?

According to Marek Debicki, a car expert at Gaspedaal.nl, the reason for the increase is quite obvious, when you think about it. “With more and more low-emission zones, [the possibility of] exemption from motor vehicle tax, and increasing parking pressure, city cars are becoming increasingly attractive.” 

Debicki told AD that microcars, once used almost exclusively by older people, are now becoming popular with young people and families as well. For instance, they work well as second cars since they have much lower running costs than your typical four-wheeler, and are easier to handle and park on those narrow Dutch streets. 

For older people, they might also represent the “last opportunity to travel independently”, according to Debicki. That’s because Canta vehicles are classified as mobility aids in the Netherlands, and can therefore be driven on cyclepaths and footpaths - without the need for a driving licence. Microcars made by other manufacturers require only a scooter licence. 

Manufacturers are cashing in on this popularity; almost all now offer fully electric city cars, and many major car brands are releasing their own compact city cars, such as the Citroën Ami, Opel Rocks-e, and Fiat Topolino.