A new electric car is coming to the UK this summer, coinciding with the new 75g/km carbon dioxide exemption threshold for the London Congestion Charge. Prices for the Mia-Electric start at £16,995 + VAT (including a £5,000 government grant) and the car is aimed at business fleets and delivery users first. A range of 74 miles and a charge time of 5 hours mean the Mia, which is also unexpectedly spacious despite its tiny footprint, suits the urban delivery ‘return-to-base’ role pretty well. It doesn’t take much to imagine little utilitarian three-seaters buzzing around Smithfield or Victoria in the early morning haze.
Green Car Design ran a prototype vehicle last year, which we were sad to see go back to old Heuliez plant in Cerizay, France. One of the most left field machines we’ve ever driven, the prototype wasn’t perfect, as you might expect pre-production. What it did offer was a deft drive on London’s crowded streets, surprisingly practicality, and the real urban electromobility experience that’s missing in larger cars like the LEAF. The Mia makes the owner feel part of the bigger picture. It’s easy to park, too.
Aside from the unusual exterior design (devised by former Bertone boss David Wilkie with the help of close friend and former VW head of design Murat Günak), sliding doors, a central driver’s seat (à la McLaren F1) and a modular chassis are the Mia-Electric’s USPs. Trim and colour combinations are nearly endless, and the Mia’s architecture can be set up for three passengers with two in the back, four passengers with three in the back, or no back seats at all with extra space for cargo. The company occasionally sprouts a fantastical concept Mia, but so far it’s been business first with 337 private vehicles registered in France last year and 94 commercial variants. The cars are also popular in Germany.
Cars sold in the UK will come with a five-year or 70,000-mile warranty for the entire car – the battery, electric drivetrain, any kind of corrosion and roadside assistance.
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