Fox E-Mobility Mia 2.0: Ten years later

This time everything should be different. When the former Volkswagen designer Murat Günak and some investors presented an electric three-seater called Mia in 2010, some cheered and others shook their heads in dismay. The idea was smart, the design bold and the price cheap. But Mia flopped and disappeared from the scene again in 2014 after just 1,600 vehicles were produced. Around 1,200 electric city runabouts are still cruising through France today. No wonder: the three-seater was produced by the body specialist Heuliez.

The new Mia 2.0 should hit the international markets in two years’ time and benefit from the electric tailwind, substantial purchase subsidies and an unchanged concept, of which those responsible at Fox E-Mobility are more convinced than ever. Mia 2.0 is first and foremost Fox E-Mobility based in Munich. “Our new company emerged at the end of last year from a so-called ‘reverse merger ‘ between Fox Automotive Switzerland and Catinum AG and has since been listed on the Düsseldorf Stock Exchange,” explains CEO Philippe Perret, “through the contribution of Fox Automotive Switzerland AG under the mantle of Catinum AG was Fox E-Mobility AG. “

The vehicle itself is completely new and yet more modern than ten years ago. The Mia is a crisp microvan with short overhangs, a long wheelbase and two sliding doors. As a one- to three-seater, it should attract private and commercial customers not only with its electric drive, but also with its efficient use of space. At the front there is only a single seat with a steering position for the driver, behind it there is space for two or three other occupants, while entry and exit, as with the first attempt at the Mia-Mobil, takes place via two sliding doors. In addition to the pure car variant, there is a version for commercial use that should be of particular interest for delivery services.

In its second generation, the Mia 2.0 has not only become more modern, but also more pithy. This is ensured not only by the LED light units at the front and rear, but also by a two-tone paintwork on request, reminiscent of the Tridion safety cell of the Smart Fortwo. The range of the electric model is between 200 and 400 kilometers, depending on the size of the battery. The base price: 16,000 euros. After deducting the respective subsidies, the Mia 2.0 could even slide below the 10,000 euro mark and, last but not least, score with low maintenance costs. Already in its first year of production, a manufacturing partner such as Magna, Valmet or Nedcar will have a five-digit number of the electric speedster roll off the assembly line. The plans for the years after are even bigger. And if, despite the extensive planning, it does not turn out to be a success – 95 percent of the vehicle can be recycled. Brand CEO Philippe Perret recently announced that he had found a partner for battery supply in Inobat. Inobat is to supply Fox E-Mobility and the Mia 2.0 with battery packs by 2030.

Like other start-ups in the automotive industry, Fox also wants to forego traditional dealer sales for its new Mia edition and instead focus solely on online sales. Only a few local bases are supposed to provide image and contact, while maintenance is supposed to take over an existing infrastructure. If the electric Mia has to be serviced, a detour to the Bosch service or the ATU shops would be conceivable. The talks on this are in full swing. The maintenance of the complete networking of the Mia, which receives updates via data transfer (over the air) and thus also transfers its diagnostic data to the workshop, which is not only responsible for the appointments, but can also pre-order the parts, should make maintenance easier. The European market should be at the core of the interest, with a license business being considered for non-European countries. In addition, those responsible at Fox E-Mobility also promise income from CO2 certificates that are sold to other manufacturers.