Miles Electric readies all-electric family sedan

Miles Electric Vehicles will test the market for all-electric vehicles next year with a $45,000 sedan, though under a different brand name.

The company, founded in 2004, now sells electric fleet vehicles or "neighborhood" sedans that top out at about 25 miles per hour. It has also been developing, through a series of partnerships, an electric four-door, five passenger sedan with a range of about 100 miles.

Miles Electric Vehicles plans to use the chassis of this existing car manufactured in China for its electric sedan.

(Credit: Miles Electric Vehicles)

In the first half of 2010, Miles plans to market test about 200 or 300 of the sedans and then make more available for sale in California by fall of that year, according to Kara Saltness, the director of marketing at Miles.

Later this month, the Santa Monica, Calif.-based company will announce the name of the sedan.

There are several electric and hybrid cars aimed at mainstream consumers that will start coming to market late next year, including a plug-in Toyota Prius and General Motors' Chevy Volt.

The advantage of gas-electric cars is that they can ensure roughly the same driving range as a gasoline car. However, there are a few efforts to build all-electric cars which, because of improvements in lithium ion batteries, have a longer range than previous generations.

Miles Electric expects that its sedan will appeal to environmentally minded American consumers who, in many cases, already have one car.

"It's a practical vehicle, but it has revolutionary technology that's powering it," said Saltness. "We're not targeting people who want a trophy vehicle. We're targeting people who are going to use it every day."

The top speed of the car will be about 80 miles per hour, she said, and the 100-mile range is realistic based on Miles' tests. It will take 8 to 12 hours to charge an empty battery with a regular 110-volt outlet, or about half of that on a higher voltage connection.

The company is in the process of crash-testing about 20 prototypes in an effort to get the highest U.S. safety rating, Saltness added.

Previously, company officials said that the electric sedan would cost about $32,000, rather than its current estimate of $45,000.

But buyers could benefit from up to a $7,500 federal tax credit, as well as possible state rebates. In addition, Saltness noted that the maintenance costs of electric vehicles are expected to be much lower and that the cost per mile, if charged during off-peak times, could be as little as 2 or 3 cents a mile, which is significantly less than gasoline.

The car itself and the lithium-ion phosphate battery pack will be manufactured by partners in China. The company intends to make 3,000 cars in 2010 and has the ability to reach 20,000 units per year.

The company expects to raise a series C funding in the next several months to finance its sedan production plans, Saltness said.

[alt117]

Wow, no fancy press tour or request for government money? And they have actual drivable cars now?

Tesla better get it in gear.

[chuchucuhi]

A decent move foward in the all electric arena. The price point though kind of high isn't out of this world plus I am sure it will have some kind of status symbol appeal. What's great about the sedan is that it is a framiliar package to consumers in the U.S. Even though there are probably better alternatives for a communter car in terms of being "green" this may have higher appeal.

[TimGray--2008]

Too expensive. I can buy a luxury hybrid for cheaper that will have a higher ROI.

[swatter0]

EVs typically secure a tax credit, but more importantly, have MUCH lower operating and maintenance costs than anything with an internal combustion engine (no oil changes, no pumps or belts, no exhaust system, no fuel system or combustion, brakes last longer because of regen-braking, much less heat etc.) plus the lower fuel costs, less time spent in the shop, and the convenience of charging at home rather than looking for a gas station; less to dispose of also. If you look at it on a monthly cost basis, shave maybe $10k or more off the price to get the regular car equivalency, depending on how much you drive, and consider that you keep saving in operating costs and maintenance even after the car is paid for.

[willdryden]

A car is not an investment unless you buy something like a Porche and do not drive it. It is a pit to throw money in that gets you from point a to point b. THe only people who have made money on a car have exotics or really old, restored cars.

[jameslemay_dotmac]

Today Yahoo reported that the worst 4 places to live (when it comes to economic recovery) were in Michigan: Jackson, Detroit, Saginaw and Flint. It is a shame that the leadership of America's car companies does not want to step into the future of cars, and that the chassis of this electric car will be made in China.

I think the American companies were making all their money on financing, and, as such, were more like banks than car companies.

Good for Miles. That bail-out money that was headed for Detroit ought to go to the customers who buy american-made all-electric vehicles. Detroit can obviously still get it, but so can other small, light, innovative companies. Give each buyer a 5-10 K rebate for the next two years. That would stimulate demand for a car that is vital for so many reasons: climate, national security, and economic progress.

[ittesi259]

American made? Did you not read the part about how much will be made in China?

[ethuey]

Are you kidding me? $45k for a piece of junk Chinese car? Everyone thinks all these electric cars are cool until it comes time to write a check. Then the only ones who do (can) are rich celebrities who want attention, and have money to burn.

Even the Prius is overpriced. It made some sense when gas was above $3.50. Sales have dropped off considerably now that gas prices are lower. The Prius still sells because it is a very mainstream auto. It goes at freeway speeds with a full distance range; so it is very livable.

A battery electric car is only going to work if gas prices go above $4.00 and everyone believes that they are going to stay high. Cars only work when they can be manufactured in fairly large quantities. Low quantity vehicles tend to be exotic and the customers don't care if they are very expensive. So the only electric cars that are going to make it are those that sell in large quantities at a reasonable price which is not going to happen unless gas prices go up considerably.

I wouldn?t buy a Miles Chinese car or any other electric car and I certainly wouldn?t buy any of their stock.

[swatter0]

1) ALL cars are not selling right now; come summer and a rise in gas prices, sales of fuel efficient cars will rise more than others.
2) Chinese made: yes, because stupid America hadn't even been offering hybrid cars, just hybrid SUVs, despite our headstart with hybrids, EVs and batteries back in the 1990s.
3) Freeway speeds: in your screed, you forgot to read; this car can go 80mph, fast enough for all the freeways I know of.
4) Range: 100 miles/charge is more than adequate for a lot of people, but this car is not for everyone and doesn't have to be, just as a semi is not for everyone; in heavy traffic, the EV turns off while a gas car does not.
5) Mainstream: that's what this is about - things that are different and that ask for changes in some habits and ways of thinking yet offer an up side to some of these changes that is discounted/ignored, like the convenience of charging at home while having dinner rather than looking for an open gas station.
6) Only when gas is high: it's more important to recognize that gas prices will not stay low, as the economy recovers and as summer comes around. We early adopters, those who bought hybrids or have converted gas cars to EVs, have been dying for some choices in EVs.

[bowlie1]

Why are you wasting your time selling to America? I'd buy one tomorrow here in Switzerland!

[americaspower]

One thing many Americans don?t realize is how important domestic energy is to our country?s economic recovery and overall security. Currently, half of our electricity comes from coal?which happens to be our most abundant fuel resource. In fact, we recently kicked off the America?s Power Factuality Tour?a country-wide road trip in search of the people, places and technologies involved in producing cleaner, domestic electricity from coal. We started in Wright, Wyo., at the Powder River Basin, which produces more coal than any other site in the U.S. Take the tour for yourself and see our most abundant domestic fuel at work. <a href="http://www.americaspower.org/factuality">factuality.org</a>

[swatter0]

Clean coal is a fantasy, including sequestration. Mining it is dirty, closed mines are dirty (Pitcher OK), and burning it is dirty, beyond just the co2 (mercury). Estimates suggest we could cut our energy use in half with more efficient use and conservation, at lower costs than currently. This should be the first step as we green the grid - not a fantasy and a lot cheaper than sequestration. Greening the grid will provide higher tech jobs than coal, albeit without the danger factor and the pay that goes with that.

[americaspower]

Swatter: This is an opinion, not a fact. During the America?s Power Factuality Tour, we?ve been traveling around the country talking to the people who are producing cleaner electricity from coal. At every stop, we not only saw, photographed and videotaped clean coal technology at work, but also spoke with people who are enthused about their role in creating cleaner electricity from coal?helping to solidify America?s energy independence and create more American jobs. We started at the largest coal-producing basin in the U.S. where we filmed folks hard at work, mining one of our most abundant resources?and restoring the land to its original form. Don?t believe me? See the video for yourself. www.factuality.org

[Mergatroid Mania]

Too bad it's mostly made in China. I might buy one if I was in the market and it was the only electric available.
However, if there was ANY other electric available I would consider it before anything built in China.

I bet if they had of made more of it in the USA they might have gotten some government funding.

Good luck to em though.

[SactoGuy018]

Why bother when the more appropriate future is plug-in hybrid electric vehicles? That way, during the weekdays you can run the vehicle in mostly electric mode for commuter use and in regular hybrid mode on weekends for longer trips. The 2010 Toyota Prius and 2010 Ford Fusion sedan can be converted to PHEV mode by putting in a higher-capacity battery pack.

[willdryden]

Near term, yes if you only have one car. All 2 car families should have one as a battery electric.

[Button Boy]

All this noise about the poor quality of cars coming from China. Have any of you looked at the mediocre crap coming from Detroit? Korean manufacturers rose to the top of JD Powers in less than 6 years after starting near the bottom. I bet the Chinese can do it just as easily, and that the Big Three will still be whining about a need for subsidies and how unfair the market place is.

If you are still working for an American auto firm, it's time for you to get out NOW and go back to college. Change careers and find something with a real future.

[tech_crazy]

Martin, the 2nd para mentions "The company, founded in 2004, now sells electric fleet vehicles or "neighborhood" sedans that top out at about 25 miles per hour." I think you meant "that top out at about 25 miles". The "per hour" seems misleading.

[willdryden]

He said what he meant. The NEVs top speed is 25MPH by federal law. The range on the Miles ZX40s should be around 35 miles running flat out. Drive slower and go further.

[jtayor]

I thought the stimulus money was supposed to help US companies? Offering customers a rebate on the battery pack incentivizes purchases from China. That's the opposite of what we want!

A little research shows that this company is all bankers and lawyers. Probably the same bankers that got us in this mess. I see their plan. Take money from hard working americans, keep some for themselves and send the rest to China...

There is an entire supply chain of vehicle parts in the US just waiting for some entrepreneurial company to take advantage of it. I'll wait for some other company to do it and pass on this piece of crap...