Switzerland could be back on the carmaking map with the electrified revival of the 1950s bubble car – by two brothers whose father revolutionized transport two decades ago by pioneering the kick-powered micro-scooter for adults.

Oliver and Merlin Ouboter have launched a new version of the micro car, modeled on BMW's classic 1950s Isetta bubble car – but this time with four wheels, not three.

And crucially for an era beyond fossil fuels, the new Microlino replaces the old petrol engine with a 12.5 kilowatt electric engine, giving it a range of up to 230 kilometers and a top speed of 90 kilometers per hour (k/ph).

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Its light weight (496 kilograms) and small size (2.5 meters long) reduce the vehicle's environmental impact and make it easier to park in tiny spaces, said Oliver Ouboter, chief operating officer at Microlino AG.

"The idea was to create an alternative to conventional cars. The Microlino does that much better than bicycles – it's weather protected, you have space for cargo, you can have two people sitting next to each other," he said.

"Because it's smaller than a conventional car it consumes less material to make it, and it has a smaller battery which means it uses less electricity," added his brother Merlin, the company's chief marketing officer. "So the ecological footprint is about a third of a conventional electric car."

Bubble cars of the 1950s were so-called because of their curved front windows, whose design was inspired by the cockpits of fighter planes. However, most of the old models were single-seater for solo use – whereas the new version seats two.

More than 35,000 reservations have been received for the Microlino, which is being built in Italy and costs upwards of $16,195.

An inventive family

The Ouboters' father Wim conceptualized a folded micro-scooter aimed at the adult market one night in 1990, when he fancied nipping to a nearby bratwurst grill and then a bar. Since then, the family company has sold 90 million kick scooters – and the proud parents have invested more than $10 million in the project, although the brothers declined to specify how much.

More known for chocolate, watches and banking, Switzerland did have a car industry in the early 20th century, with long forgotten brands such as Ajax, Fischer and Turicum. High production costs and a tiny home market doomed many, although Switzerland does host some niche manufacturers.

"Ideas can be developed in Switzerland, the marketing is taking place here, but the mass production somewhere else. Microlino is the latest example of that," said Daniel Geissmann at the Swiss Transport Museum in Lucerne.

"There is a market for such a car," he said. "It's striking and it's fun."