12:18 09-07-2026
Bontu BT09 launches in Europe: electric quadricycle with up to 150 km of range
Chinese brand Bontu debuts in Europe with three L6e and L7e electric quadricycles. Prices in Italy start from 9,500 euros, undercutting Citroen Ami on range.
Bontu is coming to Europe not as another Chinese brand with a big crossover, but through a niche where the rules are softer and the rivals weaker. The company’s electric micro vehicles are homologated as L6e and L7e quadricycles, so the extra tariffs applied to ordinary Chinese EVs do not touch them. Starting price in Italy is expected from 9,500 euros — comparable to what Europeans already pay for a Citroën Ami or a Fiat Topolino.
The range covers three models. The most affordable BT09, 2.75 m long, comes in two versions. The L6e has a two-seat cabin, a 7.68 kWh battery, up to 130 km of range and a top speed of 45 km/h. The four-seat L7e steps up to a 10 kWh battery, hits 75 km/h and covers up to 150 km on a charge. The Citroën Ami and Fiat Topolino typically offer around 75 km, so Bontu is beating them not on styling but on real-world autonomy.
The senior passenger model BTE05 measures exactly three metres and looks more serious on the tech side. The base 13.9 kWh battery delivers up to 170 km, while the 18.1 kWh pack pushes range to up to 222 km. Claimed output reaches 30 kW, or 40 hp, with a top speed of 90 km/h, and a fast charge from 30 to 80% takes around 65 minutes. For a quadricycle that is no longer just corner-shop territory but a genuine suburban commute, where an Ami or an Opel Rocks-e quickly runs out of battery.
Bontu is not trying to sell a bare box on wheels. The BTE05 comes with ABS, brake-force distribution, a driver airbag, air conditioning, a rear-view camera, parking sensors, a 12-inch central touchscreen and an additional 7-inch instrument display. That is exactly the trap for European rivals: microcars used to be forgiven their spartan cabins on price, but the Chinese now bring range and equipment.
The commercial BTE03, 3.56 m long, is aimed at urban delivery: a 340 kg payload, an 8.35 kWh battery and 80–100 km of range. It is offered as a pickup, a truck and a cargo van. For courier services this is not a full replacement for a delivery van, but it is a real alternative to a scooter or a small electric goods vehicle, especially in low-emission zones.
The first market will be Italy, where Bontu has already opened a spare parts warehouse in Ancona. Germany and Portugal are next on the list, while Spain is not yet confirmed. The scheme scales easily: an active quadricycle market, a low entry price and no extra tariffs make Bontu an uncomfortable neighbour for Stellantis.
Bontu does not need to beat regular cars — it just has to prove that a Citroën Ami at the same money simply does not go far enough.