In the motoring press these days we get a road test of a new electric car every week, and this week is no different. Courtesy of Autocar.co.uk we bring you the Mia Electric, a four seat electric city car, with a central driving position, twin sliding doors, a rear-mounted electric motor and a steel spaceframe body hung with dent-resistant plastic panels. It's built in France by a German-backed company called Mia Electric whose staff include former VW design boss Murat Gunak and ex-Bertone design chief David Wilkie.
The Mia’s Quirky design is what stands out from the crowd and the central driving position, a la McLaren F1. But that is where comparisons to the McLaren end as the Mia boasts a poultry 13bhp from is single electric motor and with a weight of 810kg performance is not its strong point. Performance, however is not the point of this car. Instead, it’s about ease of urban use, zero emissions and low running costs.
The interior is a bit of a contradiction of styles. The upper instrument pod is really quite cool with modern glassy buttons and nice surface finishes and it 'floats' above the lower dashboard. The lower dashboard on the other hand looks like it was taken out of a double decker bus.
As with most electric cars, it is more expensive than its petrol-powered counterparts such as the Smart Fortwo or a Kia Picanto, and it's only £4000 less than the cheapest Leaf which provides substantially more performance, more range, more equipment and a vastly better standard of finish.
Mia electric car Price: £22,012 (inc. govt incentive);Top speed: 68mph; 0-62mph: 34sec; Economy: na; Range: 80 miles; CO2: zero at tailpipe; Kerb weight: 840kg; Engine: electric; Power: 13bhp; Torque: 43lb ft; Gearbox: single speed; Battery: 12 KwH; Recharge time: three hours
