Little known brand to launch budget EV to rival Citroen promising better handling, extra seat & ‘secret weapon’ feature
A LITTLE-known car brand is lining up a budget EV that will cost less than £15,000.
Warwickshire-based manufacturer Mika is to release a curious-looking microcar that could rival the Citroën Ami – but with improved performance, handling and an additional seat.
But perhaps best of all, the mini motor will boast a much greater safety rating, with similar standards to that of a modern supermini.
Speaking to Autocar, Robin Hall, the car’s creator, said: “Safety is our secret weapon.
“Anyone can see the sense in offering a vehicle that’s simpler and lighter than other small cars, but making it more dangerous as a consequence isn’t acceptable.”
Using light-weight, ultra-strong materials to form a rigid survival cell, the Mika includes crushable crash sections in the front and rear.
What’s more, its loadbearing frame supports composite outer panels and can even sit three people – two up front and one slightly further back between them.
All electric and officially classed as an L7 quadricycle, the EV will have a top speed of 56mph, powered by a floorpan-mounted 16kWh battery that can be upgraded to 32kWh
Range for the little quad starts at 80 miles but can be as high as 160 miles with the extra cells.
Mika’s next step is to create a prototype which will be ready in 2025.
Hall stressed though that the project will need a manufacturing partner to meet his perceived annual UK demand.
So far, the project has had a £40,000 grant from the semi-governmental Niche Vehicle Network.
This will help complete a feasibility study, plus a detailed data pack and bill of materials by March.
Hall added: “I’m very ambitious about this project.
“I think it’s a car the world needs.”
The Citroën Ami, to which it has been compared, was first released in 2020 and has a top speed of just 27.9mph, as well as a maximum range of 48 miles.
Interestingly, the Ami can legally be driven by a solo 16-year-old with just a motorcycle licence.
This follows Sun Motors’ report earlier this year about another little-known car brand that is set to launch an incredibly cheap EV with seats that convert into beds.
Dongfeng, one of the largest car makers in China, has arrived in Europe with the Nammi Box budget EV.
The Chinese state-owned company’s new EV is set to rival the Citroen e-C3, currently one of the cheapest in the European market costing £21,035.
Dongfeng has already launched its car in Switzerland for just £19,615.
The Nammi Box’s interior will feature a 12-inch infotainment touchscreen at the centre point of the dash.
The affordable EV will also boast reclining front seats that can be transformed into a makeshift bed.