Miles Automotive trying to be first to market with a full speed $30K EV
Miles Automotive is getting some attention again with their effort to beat everybody from Tesla to GM to market with an affordable plug-in electric car. They have been showing the Javlon XS500 for a while now and Sebastian saw it and talked to Miles Automotive's Chris Buehrer last spring. The way they plan to sell a lithium ion battery powered car that go at highway speeds for $30,000 is to have it built in China.
According to company founder Miles Rubin, they expect to get their first prototypes this fall and they need to make some changes to meet US safety regulations. Unfortunately sourcing a car, especially one with lithium batteries from China, may make that a particularly difficult challenge. Recent crash tests of Chinese-built cars in Europe have had particularly catastrophic results. Miles may have a tough time meeting safety standards and still hitting their price target.
[Source: CNN Money]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kardax 3:59PM (8/15/2007)
I remember reading somewhere that the Hafei Saibao, the Chinese car that Miles is converting to an EV, passed its European crash tests. I don't know how that compares to U.S. crash testing, but it's a positive sign.
I still think Miles is vastly underestimating the cost and complexity of bringing a car like this to market.
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Josh 5:18PM (8/15/2007)
This looks like Miles trying to beat competitors to market and make a quick buck. All that needs to happen is for a 24hr news station to get a video of a Chinese Electric vehicle with shoddy construction and substandard batteries turning into a burning pile of rubble during a crash test.
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Ian 2:23AM (8/16/2007)
Let's see the crash test video first and then see if it is painted with toxic waste.
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Icon149 10:17AM (8/16/2007)
Of course if they are first to market, and said chinese sourced EV crashes and burns, it will be very bad for the whole EV push. i don't think this is gonna be a good developement at all. it will be hard enough getting people into a new unproven technology, but even worse after we have all seen video's of electric cars with lithium ion batteries crashing and burning, that isn't going to be positive at all.
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Tonik 12:47PM (10/31/2007)
So this golf cart company plans to enter the car market with an overpriced, inferior quality, low range car?
Gee, these guys know how to do business! These suckers at Tesla should feel ashamed now!
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