Table 45: Employment ATV industry (source: ATVEA)

5. Mini-cars

The market is comprised of mini cars which are constructed for the primary purpose of on-road transport. These vehicles are exclusively built by specialised European SMEs. EuroStat do not compile statistics on mini-cars and hence the European Commission are dependent on professional organisations to provide statistics. The European fleet of mini-cars manufactured by member companies of EQUAL, the mini car industry association, totals about 340 000 vehicles. Mini-cars represent 1.1 % of the L-category fleet and are vehicles meeting a specific need. The market is more mature in France, Spain, and Italy. The global sales for 2007 were 35 000 vehicles, more than 90 % were equipped with very small, industrial, compression ignition engines, manufactured by industrial suppliers (Lombardini, Kubota, Yanmar) who do not develop a specific automotive product. The average annual mileage is estimated to be between 5 000 to 7 000 kilometres.

At present there are 11 manufacturers, without exception SMEs, of mini-cars in Europe who are established in various Member States. The global market leader as producer for this vehicle type, employed 200 people in 2008, and produced 13 500 vehicles per year of which 1 500 electrical vehicles (200 – 300 utility vehicles).

- In France: Aixam, Automobiles Ligier, Bellier, Chatenet, JDM-Simpa, Microcar,

- In Italy: Casalini ; Grecav, Piaggio, Tasso,

- In Germany: ATW.

These manufacturers are often established in regions lacking a developed industrial network (in France: Savoie, Vendée, in Italy: Abruzzi). On a larger scale, the mini-cars industry entertains a complex network of partners, on which depend 20000 jobs in Europe.

Annex X: Details chapter 5 — Impact analysis — Simplification of legislation

In summary: