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AIXAM

In terms of the auto-industry, Aixam is one of the new comers in the car market. However they came in at just the right time to plug a gap in the market. At a time when global warming was coming to the front page of the news, they began production on fuel saving micro cars aimed at people living in the city.

They are a French auto manufacturer based in Aix les Baines, Savoie. It was founded in 1983 to make Microcars in the old Arola factory after that company failed.
In 1992 they started making a range of standard sized cars under the Mega brand, but by 2002 this brand was just being applied to a diesel and electric range of microvans and light utility vehicles for use by small businesses and contractors.

The company currently produces the Aixam A.7XX series a microcar comparable with the Smart brand because of its size, style and fuel economy. A notable difference is that some of the smaller models are restricted to 45 km/h (30 mph) and can actually be driven without a driver's licence in some European countries (including France, Italy and Portugal, but not the UK).

In Britain they are classified as a quad bike because of their weight and power output. This requires either a full car licence or a full unlimited capacity motorcycle licence to legally drive them on the road.

They can be thought of as a sort of modern "Citroën “CV". They are not fast (about 100 km/h or 60 mph ), but economical (often over 90 mph or under 2.6 L/100hm/h ), and with a spacious body made from a strong alloy frame covered with plastic panels, which not only prevent rust but lower the weight considerably.

The low-emissions Kubota engines plus the automatic CVT transmission make them exceptionally "green" vehicles; and it is now possible to get various electric car versions. These vehicles fall under the ‘Green’ category in terms of congestion charges in London.

Aixam-Mega is currently (2006) Europe's largest producer of microcars and its products are available in the following countries:

Austria, Belgium, Finland, Greece, the Netherlands, Italy, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, however some have been known to travel further than that having been imported to places such as Ireland and Russia.