Mia electric (2010-2014)

The mia electric GmbH in Merzig (Germany) and Cerizay (France) was responsible for the strategic alignment and marketing of the electric car Mia. 

History

Mia electric GmbH was the majority shareholder of a subsidiary located in the western French town of Cerizay, which was formed in June 2010 from the electric vehicle division of the French vehicle developer Heuliez . This production plant employed about 210 people and had an annual capacity of 10,000 vehicles.

The majority of the French production company mia electric held the German mia electric GmbH. The sole shareholder of mia electric GmbH was the Saarland pharmaceutical entrepreneur Edwin Kohl ( kohlpharma ). The formerly involved Essen con | energy AG had already left at the end of 2011.  2012, the company has taken over the distribution of mia electric as general importer for Germany.

Mia (own spelling: mia) is an electrically driven micro car with three or four seats in the form of a minivan . The vehicle was produced from 2010 to 2014. The manufacturer, Mia electric , declared insolvency in 2014; In 2018, the Swiss company Fox Automotive, headquartered in Herisau, declared that it had acquired assets including trademark rights and patents in the settlement for Mia; production in Hungary was targeted for 2019. 

The Mia was from 2007 by the coachbuilder Heuliez developed and manufactured as a prototype . In 2008, the car was presented at the Paris Motor Show in Paris under the name Friendly . In Germany, among other things, it was exhibited in 2009 at the first German Electromobile Congress in Bonn. As a sales promotion Heuliez offered in 2009 first buyer registrations for 10 EUR, later then pre-reservations of the vehicle for 500 EUR. Following the bankruptcy of the Heuliez electric vehicle division on July 1, 2010, of the Franco-German company electric Mia taken under the main shareholder and pharmaceuticals entrepreneur Prof. Edwin Kohl (73.4%)  The design was further developed under the direction of the designer Murat Günak  . In the spring of 2010, the vehicle was exhibited at several trade fairs.

Originally, the vehicle with a 6 kWh battery should cost 14,990 EUR. At the beginning of 2011, the nominal capacity of the small battery variant was specified as 8 kWh, with the option of a 12 kWh battery. For June 2011, the start of the delivery was announced by first 1,500 vehicles, this deadline was later postponed. According to information from the company, production of Mia began in June 2011 at the French plant in Cerizay, The first vehicles received factory employees for the test. From December 2011, 1,000 vehicles will be built in series production each month. The sale is initially to commercial or fleet customers, only from 2012 to be supplied to private buyers. On February 14, 2011, eleven Stadtwerke companies from Ostwestfalen announced that they intend to use Mia models for their fleets in the future.  In April 2013, the mia was next to France , Germany and. a. European countries also offered in Austria . 2014, the sale was discontinued due to insolvency of the company.

A special feature of the concept is the seating arrangement, in which two or three passengers can sit behind the driver sitting in the middle. The vehicle has two sliding side doors and a tailgate. The concept includes the choice between batteries of different sizes when ordering. This should be possible later upgradable, cheapest possible basic models. So should the price of the smallest variant "pure" with an 8 kWh battery amount to about 19,500 EUR.Also, one of a hydrogen - fuel cell -powered electric drive was developed. Customers of mia vehicles complain that the vehicle electrics are prone to failure.

In June 2013, Edwin Kohl sold its 88 percent stake in Focus Asia GmbH, based in Darmstadt. Behind the latter are international investors , specifically a Sino-Korean consortium . of equity fund companies The reason given was that the number of electric cars sold had fallen short of expectations. 

The minority shareholder with 12% shares remained the French region of Poitou-Charentes . On October 7, 2013, mia electric's new boss, Michele Boos, announced that the company's revenues should be increased through lower prices through "more aggressive pricing policies" and "make Mia affordable for more interested buyers."  The new majority owner planned to market the electric car Mia future will be in China. In Cerizay, France, the development department and a small series production should remain.

On 12 February 2014, judicial bankruptcy protection was applied for.  The company's activities were continued by the Executive Director Michelle Boos. She has been assigned a court-appointed administrator.  The company should be restructured within the next six months.Mid-March 2014, the proposed restructuring plan by the competent bankruptcy court was in doubt. A thorough restructuring did not happen anymore. In the second half of September 2014, mia electric's car brand, patents and production facilities were sold to the highest bidder, a consortium, for insolvency purposes at an auction price of € 1.35 million.  The consortium, which was called "Mia Génération", consisted of the company Kokam, Fulmen and Focus Asia. This sale annulled the Court of Appeals of Poitiers in May 2015. Thus, an auction was scheduled on 8 July 2015 again. This time, an initially anonymous bidder had prevailed for the price of 800,000 euros.  In 2018, the Swiss company Fox Automotive, based in Herisau, declared that it had acquired assets including trademark rights and patents in the liquidation of the Mia; production was targeted for 2019 in Hungary. 

• with 12 kWh battery 93 km range and 15.3 kWh / 100 km from socket with mixed test operation
• Acceleration 0-50 km / h: 8.3 s
• no ESP, allegedly also no ABS, which is doubtful, since it lists the manufacturer as standard equipment
• Mini bus concept with two side sliding doors, opening wide into the roofline, therefore convenient entry
• Central driver position with large storage compartments and pre-equipment for smartphones and tablet PCs
• optional: MP3 radio with USB connection and Bluetooth
• Central locking with remote control
• frameless rear window, at the same time tailgate

Model Variants

In addition to the basic models, various special models and design variations are offered. So the miAmore  upgraded by orange 16-inch rims and color elements. With the design solution "Cadabra" you can combine 480 color variants yourself. 

Mia 

• Curb weight incl. 8 kWh battery: 765 kg and with 12 kWh battery: 815 kg
• Length: 2.87 m
• Width: 1.64 m
• Height: 1.55 m
• Loading volume: 260 l
• Seats: 3, rear seats expandable
• Payload (depending on the battery 8 or 12 kWh): 320-370 kg

Mia L. 

• Curb weight incl. 8 kWh battery: 786 kg and with 12 kWh battery: 836 kg
• Length 3.19 m
• Width: 1.64 m
• Height: 1.55 m
• Loading volume: 420 l / 998 l with the seat folded down
• Seats: 4, rear seats foldable
• Payload (depending on the battery 8 or 12 kWh): 285-335 kg

Mia K 

• Curb weight incl. 8 kWh battery: 765 kg and with 12 kWh battery: 815 kg
• Length: 3.19 m
• Width: 1.64 m
• Height: 1.55 m
• Loading volume: 1500 l
• Seats: 1 (possibility of installing an additional seat)
• Payload (depending on the battery 8 or 12 kWh): 310-360 kg

The special model mia K "BLUE STAR"  is essentially in line with the Mia K model, but with some extra extras in its features, including a roof rack, a fuel-efficient power heater, PVC floor mats, a multimedia radio, and a different color from the base model Mia K contrasting body colors.