MILES Electric Vehicles: Difference between revisions
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===MILES ZX40 ST=== |
===MILES ZX40 ST=== |
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The most powerful "fleet" electric utility truck on the market debuted at FedFleet '07 in Orlando in the summer of 2007. The truck tops out at 25 miles an hour and travels 50-60 miles per charge. Like the '''ZX40S Advanced Design''', this truck also uses an advanced three phase, brushless, AC induction motor, which comes standard with regenerative braking and optional air conditioning. |
MSRP $18,400 The most powerful "fleet" electric utility truck on the market debuted at FedFleet '07 in Orlando in the summer of 2007. The truck tops out at 25 miles an hour and travels 50-60 miles per charge. Like the '''ZX40S Advanced Design''', this truck also uses an advanced three phase, brushless, AC induction motor, which comes standard with regenerative braking and optional air conditioning. |
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===Highway speed car=== |
===Highway speed car=== |
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Revision as of 13:41, 4 February 2008
Miles Automotive Group, also known as Miles Electric Vehicles, is a manufacturer and distributor of full electric vehicles manufactured in China to meet international car safety standards. MILES was recently given the "Electric Car Company of 2007" award by Good Clean Tech - a blog site that was a 2007 Weblog Awards finalist.
The company, based in Los Angeles, California, with several facilities throughout the country, is privately held by "Green" magnate Miles Rubin. The company gained prominence in 2005 when it began sales of the Miles ZX40, the first street-legal Chinese-made automobile sold in the United States.[1] The company's cars, built on steel unibody chassis, are the world's first crash tested NEVs to achieve DoT, CARB and NHTSA compliance.
One of MILES most anticipated products is the MILES XS500, a full electric sedan with a projected price of under $30,000. Currently the company offers four other models designed primarily for low-speed fleet use, the ZX40, ZX40S, ZX40S Advanced Design, and ZX40ST work truck. These are currently available in the United States and in use at campuses such as NASA, the U.S. Navy, Yale and Stanford University, UCLA, California Polytechnic State University, and the San Francisco Airport Authority.
All models are DOT / NHTSA Federal Standard 500 compliant, offering steel chassis, steel impact-resistant frame, steel doors and DOT-approved glass throughout.
NHTSA/FMVSS Standard 500 law requires all low-speed electric vehicles be electronically limited to 25mph, and are street legal for use on roads with posted speed limits up to 35mph.
Product line
AC Motors
For the 2008 model year MILES has introduced AC(alternating current) motors for its low-speed vehicles. The advanced three phase, brushless AC induction motor reportedly offers 4 times the available power as typical DC motors, and has a 100,000+ mile estimated lifetime (yet to be warranted by the company). The AC motors are paired to Curtis-Albright AC Motor Controllers and optimized for superior hill climbing performance --historically a problem for many electric vehicles.
MILES has produced an "Advanced Design" version of its flagship LSV, the ZX40S Advanced Design to use the motor, as well as using the motor in all versions of its ZX40ST work truck. Along with the AC motor upgrade, these two vehicle models come with regenerative braking and vacuum assisted braking pumps. Due to the increase in available power from the AC motor, the two vehicles also offer true air conditioning as an option.
MILES XS500 Highway speed car
Template:Future automobile A fully highway-capable vehicle called the XS500 is planned for the end of 2008; about 20,000 cars in the first year sold as 2009 model year vehicles.
The car, about the size of a Toyota Camry, was designed by renowned Italian design house Pininfarina, known for their decades of automotive design in partnership with Ferrari, Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, and Maserati. As a "consumer" vehicle, rather than their current "fleet" offerings, MILES says the XS500 will offer the usual creature comforts such as air conditioning, "power everything", CD stereo system with Bluetooth connectivity, moonroof, and sumptuous interior.
Estimated base price is around $30,000. The car would be capable of speeds of 129 km/h (80 mph) with a range of over 200 km (125 mi) using advanced lithium-ion batteries [3].
The XS500 will charge up through any standard 110- or 220-volt electrical outlet in a few hours for about $1.50, resulting in ~250 miles for the same cost as a gallon of gasoline. The vehicle will not be a "silver bullet" to the country's energy crisis, but MILES spokesmen do note that the car would have "safe, economical and environmentally positive" value for practical everyday commuter use, particularly in large metropolitan cities.
It is interesting to note that the MILES XS500 will be the world's first production lithium-ion electric vehicle under $50,000 (the $100,000 Tesla roadster recently announced plans to produce 50 cars in Q1 2008). MILES has stated its plan to crash test the vehicle to meet and exceed all US DoT and NHTSA car safety regulations. The midsize sedan will be sold through a network of 120 existing car dealers and auto groups which the company is currently building. Currently MILES has ~50 authorized dealers.
MILES ZX40
The Miles Electric Vehicles ZX40 is a subcompact electric car built by Tianjin Xiali (Tianjin-Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Co), a subsidiary of the First Automobile Works in Tianjin, China. The car is a licensed version of the Japanese Daihatsu Move minicompact and is sold in China as the Xinfu ("Happy Messenger").
It is powered by a single 48-volt electric motor, which produces 4.2 kW (5.6 hp) and uses a 150-amp-hour battery pack. The car uses an on-board charger that charges through a standard 110-volt 20-amp outlet. An empty battery fully charges in six hours, but only two to three hours are needed to charge it fully if the car is less than 80% empty. The ZX40 can travel up to 64 km (40 mi) at speeds up to 40 km/h (25 mph). It is a 2- or 4-seat car and is DOT-approved for street use.
The ZX40 has been discontinued for the 2008 model year, in favor of the more powerful ZX40S and AC Motor-powered ZX40S Advanced Design.
Miles ZX40S
The ZX40S was designed to accelerate faster than the ZX40. It is powered by a 72-volt system instead of a 48-volt system, which extends its range to 50-60 miles (96 to 128 km) . To comply with federal law, the ZX40S is also electronically speed-limited to 25mph like the ZX40.
The ZX40 and ZX40S are classified as "low-speed vehicles", meaning they have fewer regulations to comply with. Such vehicles must include standard lighting and seatbelts, but do not require passive restraints, typically airbags in higher-speed vehicles. The vehicles should not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h) on streets with posted speed limits of 35 mph or less.[2]
MILES OR70
MILES Electric Vehicles also makes the OR70, a variant of which travels above 35mph (56 km/h), but it is not legal on public roads. Currently, NASA employs this model as their campuses are exempt from this particular law. The company has reported the suspension of OR70 model production for the 2008 model year.
MILES ZX40S Advanced Design
This vehicle uses the same body as the three models above, but uses an AC induction motor that offers greater power and torque, extended lifetime, and regenerative braking.
MILES ZX40 ST
MSRP $18,400 The most powerful "fleet" electric utility truck on the market debuted at FedFleet '07 in Orlando in the summer of 2007. The truck tops out at 25 miles an hour and travels 50-60 miles per charge. Like the ZX40S Advanced Design, this truck also uses an advanced three phase, brushless, AC induction motor, which comes standard with regenerative braking and optional air conditioning.
Highway speed car
A fully highway-capable vehicle called the JAVLON XS500 is planned for U.S. introduction as a 2009 model. Estimated base price is under $30,000 and would be capable of speeds of 80 mph (129 km/h) and would have a range of 125+ mi (201 km) using advanced lithium-ion batteries[3].
XS200 electric vehicle
XS200 electric vehicle is a Lithium-Ion electric car. It has a top speed of 80 miles per hour and a range over 150 miles. The XS200 has a projected price of $28,500. The car is expected to be available in US in 2009. [4]
See also
References
- ^ "Under $15,000: Street-Legal Chinese Hatchback Now on Sale in U.S." Edmunds.com. Retrieved August 14.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ "Charged Up". AutoWeek. Retrieved August 24.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|accessyear=ignored (|access-date=suggested) (help) - ^ http://www.milesautomotive.com/showroom_xs200.php
- ^ Stoffer, Harry (Published 08/24/06). "Charged Up - U.S. dealers are set to sell Chinese electric vehicles" (Web). AutoWeek. Retrieved 2007-05-19.
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