Miles Automotive plugs in an all-new web site
If you're in the market for an electric vehicle and you want to check out specs and see what's available, Miles Automotive has launched an all new site. The new virtual showroom has pics and specs on their current lineup of low-speed neighborhood electric vehicles and their upcoming XS500 full-speed sedan. The XS500 will be a Chinese-built, battery-powered, five-passenger sedan that is supposed to sell for an affordable price. If their manufacturing partner can do a better job of meeting US safety standards than most other Chinese companies have done, this could be an important entrant in the market. If not, what you're looking at here is just more vapor.
[Source: Miles Automotive, thanks to Andrew for the tip]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kardax 12:10PM (11/06/2007)
One of the interior photos shows a clutch pedal. This leads me to believe they're still showing an ordinary Hafei Saibao, although this time they at least changed the badging.
The website gives no price hints, no production date, and they don't seem to be sure about the acceleration, top speed, or range. Makes me think they still don't have a working prototype, and also makes a 2008 release doubtful (in my opinion).
They seem to go out of their way to mention "advanced air bags" twice, which I think is a shot at Tesla. (See http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/10/23/miles-automotive-tried-to-stop-tesla-from-getting-advanced-air/ ).
Reply
eversaw 12:42PM (11/06/2007)
Thanks for pointing out the clutch. Did you see that it still has a tailpipe? Nice web design.
Reply
h8tow8 2:43AM (11/07/2007)
I would like to see that little truck in action, looks ubber!
Reply
Matthijs 7:44AM (11/07/2007)
I can't seem to find the clutch. I only see the accelerator and a "small brake" paddle. Where is the third clutch paddle?
And where did you see a tailpipe? I think they just did not modify the bumper jet.
Reply
Kardax 9:21AM (11/07/2007)
Looks like Miles changed the photos on the website between now and yesterday. The clutch pedal and tail pipe were visible in the photo gallery, but aren't there today.
I guess they've been reading this site :)
Reply
Kardax 9:39AM (11/07/2007)
Turns out the original images are still in the browser cache of one of my computers. You can view the originals here:
Clutch Pedal:
http://images.kardax.com/Evidence/Miles/XS500_Clutch_Pedal.jpg
Tail Pipe:
http://images.kardax.com/Evidence/Miles/XS500_Tail_Pipe.jpg
Comparing the originals to the new ones, it's clear that the extra parts were Photoshopped out.
I must admit, I'm becoming increasingly impressed with Miles' alertness to the EV marketplace... but I still need to see a video of an _electric_ XS500 on the road before I'll take them seriously.
Reply
Jamie Knolls 10:47PM (11/11/2007)
I think if you're not part of the solution, you're part of the problem. At least Miles is delivering their NSVs to REAL people, and not selling VAPOR like some other companies I read about here... The market Miles is targeting with their NEVs isn't for me, but I can appreciate what they're doing but selling to military bases and colleges --bigger scale = bigger impact. My son works campus security at USC, and he doesn't need to get around campus on an F-150. Anything electric is an immediate alternative, and to me, IMMEDIATE ALTERNATIVE is the phrase of the century.
Back to Miles...the black car looks promising, and yeah, I'd like to see a real battery one too (I heard they have a prototype in LA next month), but in the meantime I don't see any reason to knock them for at least TRYING. All the small companies will eventually consolidate anyway. And if, along the way, they can shock the Big Three into doing MORE, then we all win.
At the end of the day, I'm just sick and tired of one-passenger Escalades.
Reply