Aixam Coupe: The two-seater coupe you don’t need a car licence to drive

Car and scooter manufacturer Peugeot recently took inspiration from both forms of transport to produce a tiny, 2.5m-long, four-seater electric vehicle reminiscent of the bubble cars of the 1960s.

The line that separates lightweight cars and motorcycles continue to blur with the advent of the Aixam Coupe S, a light quadricycle that be driven with an AM moped licence.

Best known for its range of electric cars, Aixam hopes the Coupe S will appeal to sixteen year olds - and their parents - who may consider it safer than a moped.

The two-seater uses a 400cc diesel engine to reach a maximum speed of 28 mph. The coupe may be unable to filter through traffic like a moped, but its fuel economy of almost 80 mpg is far more akin to that of a motorcycle than a conventional car. However, whilst mopeds can be acquired and insured for relatively little money, the Aixam Coupe costs £9,999 and is expected to set back the average 16-year-old around £2,000 a year to insure.

The Aixam Coupe

Teenagers will like:
The alloy wheels, roof, heater and CD player
They will be less keen on:
The £10,000 price tag and high insurance costs
The inability to filter through traffic and park almost anywhere

Small diesel-powered micro cars have long been available in France, where they can be driven by 14 year olds, but they have never rivalled the popularity of the mopeds offered by the likes of Mobylette, Motobecane and Peugeot.

Can I drive the Aixam Coupe?

You will need the AM category on your driving licence. To check whether you have this or not, visit the DVLA website. You will be asked for your driving licence number and your national insurance number. Once you have logged in, the website will show you all the classes of vehicle you are entitle d to drive.

The rise of the micro car

Cars, like people, tend to put on weight as they get older. Compare the Ford Fiesta and VW Polo of today with their younger selves and you will find the difference in size quite remarkable.

Whilst recently-launched small cars such as the Smart, Toyota iQ and Fiat 500 TwinAir have proved popular here in British, elsewhere in the world severe congestion in urban areas and punitive tax regime for larger vehicles has seen the rise of the micro car.

Kei cars

The Kei class of car in Japan is restricted in size, engine displacement and power in order to avoid taxation and the requirement in some areas that a motorist has parking space of their own before they are able to buy a car.

The need for Kei cars has inspired designers and engineers to produce cars that will diminutive in size, retain the performance and refinement of their larger and heavier counterparts. For example, the four-wheel-drive Nissan Carol is a world away from the large and heavy 4x4 SUVs that are currently popular in urban areas. Four-wheel drive may add weight to a car, but it is an undeniable aid to safe driving in slippery conditions and in the case of the 66mpg, 660cc Nissan Carol it is combined with a fuel-efficient continuously variable transmission. The car sells for less than £8,000.