Miles Electric Vehicles

Miles Electric Vehicles was a privately held American electric-vehicle manufacturer and distributor based in Los Angeles, California. The company specialized in compact, low-speed electric vehicles assembled from vehicles manufactured by FAW Tianjin, also known as Tianjin-Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Co., in China. Its principal products were sold in the United States for institutional, campus, airport, municipal, and other fleet applications rather than as conventional high-speed passenger cars. The company attracted attention in 2005 when it began selling the ZX40, described as the first Chinese-made automobile to be sold in the United States for street use. Miles adapted vehicles supplied without their original drivetrains by installing electric motors, controllers, battery systems, and related components. Its vehicles used steel unibody construction, steel doors, impact-resistant frames, and DOT-approved glazing. The company promoted them as among the first crash-tested neighborhood electric vehicles to satisfy relevant U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and California Air Resources Board requirements. Miles' best-known range consisted of the ZX40, ZX40S, ZX40S Advanced Design, and ZX40ST electric truck. These vehicles were generally classified as low-speed vehicles under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 500 and electronically limited to 25 mph. That classification allowed them to operate on roads with posted speed limits of up to 35 mph, subject to applicable state and local rules. The vehicles were therefore aimed at short-distance transportation, delivery, security, maintenance, and campus operations. Reported users included NASA, the U.S. Navy, Yale University, Rice University, Stanford University, UCLA, California Polytechnic State University, the San Francisco Airport Authority, Bennington College, and organizations in Provo, Utah. The ZX40 used a 48-volt electric system and lead-acid deep-cycle batteries. For the 2008 model year, Miles introduced three-phase brushless AC induction motors on selected vehicles. The AC system was intended to improve power, hill-climbing ability, service life, and regenerative braking performance compared with the earlier DC-motor configuration. The ZX40S Advanced Design and ZX40ST incorporated this technology, with heating and air conditioning available on some configurations. Miles also offered the OR70, a model capable of speeds above the normal low-speed-vehicle limit. Because it was not generally legal for public-road operation under the applicable rules, it found niche use at locations such as NASA campuses, where different operating conditions applied. Production of the OR70 was reportedly suspended from the 2008 model year because of performance problems. Despite early visibility in the emerging U.S. electric-vehicle market, Miles did not develop a durable dealer, service, and parts infrastructure. The company filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on June 11, 2013. The filing left existing operators with limited technical support, replacement parts, and dealer coverage; some fleet owners reportedly kept vehicles operating by using parts from other vehicles. Miles is therefore a historical example of an early U.S. low-speed electric-vehicle venture whose products gained institutional adoption but whose business ultimately became defunct.

Miles Electric Vehicles emerged in the United States during the first wave of modern commercial interest in small battery-electric vehicles. Based in Los Angeles and privately held by environmental entrepreneur Miles Rubin, the company pursued a market position different from that of mainstream automobile manufacturers. Rather than initially developing a high-speed electric car for broad consumer use, Miles concentrated on low-speed vehicles for campuses, airports, military facilities, universities, government sites, and commercial fleets. The company sourced vehicle platforms from FAW Tianjin, a Chinese electric-vehicle manufacturer associated with Tianjin-Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Co. The ZX40 was based on a licensed version of the Daihatsu Move mini-compact and was sold in China as the Huali Happy Messenger. Miles received vehicles without conventional drivetrains and installed the electric propulsion system and associated components for the U.S. market. This approach allowed the company to bring a compact electric vehicle to market without designing an entirely new body and chassis. Miles became prominent in 2005 with U.S. sales of the ZX40. The company presented the car as the first Chinese-made automobile sold in the United States for street use. Its business case depended on the low-speed-vehicle category, which imposed different requirements from those applying to full-speed passenger cars. Miles stated that its products complied with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 500 and relevant DOT, NHTSA, and California Air Resources Board requirements. Vehicles used steel unibody structures, steel doors, impact-resistant frames, seat belts, standard lighting, and DOT-approved glass, but were not required to include all of the passive-restraint equipment expected in higher-speed vehicles. The original ZX40 used a 48-volt motor system and lead-acid deep-cycle batteries. It was electronically limited to 25 mph and was marketed with a claimed range of up to 40 miles under stated conditions. For 2008, Miles replaced it in the lineup with the more powerful ZX40S. The ZX40S used a 72-volt electrical system and was marketed with a claimed range of approximately 50 to 60 miles. In practice, range depended on load, terrain, weather, battery condition, and operating conditions. Miles expanded its technology offering through the ZX40S Advanced Design. This model retained the basic body of the ZX40 family but used a three-phase, brushless AC induction motor. Miles promoted the motor as providing more power and torque, stronger hill-climbing capability, longer expected service life, and regenerative braking. The company paired the motor with Curtis-Albright AC controllers. Heating and air conditioning were available as options on some AC-equipped vehicles, making the products more practical for institutional users. The ZX40ST extended the concept into a utility truck. Based on the Hafei Minyi pickup, it was introduced at the 2007 FedFleet event in Orlando. The vehicle was intended for fleet work and was governed to 25 mph. Miles claimed a 50-to-60-mile range, although user experience and independent testing cited substantially shorter real-world distances in some conditions. Weatherproofing features, sealed electrical connections, splash guards, and other equipment could be specified for work environments. The company also produced the OR70, a faster model that could exceed 35 mph but was not generally legal for public-road use under the low-speed-vehicle framework. NASA used the model on campuses where public-road restrictions did not apply in the same way. Miles reportedly stopped OR70 production from the 2008 model year because of poor performance. This illustrated the practical limits of adapting small imported platforms to demanding fleet requirements. Miles vehicles were used by a range of recognized institutions, including NASA, the U.S. Navy, Yale University, Rice University, Stanford University, UCLA, California Polytechnic State University, the San Francisco Airport Authority, Bennington College, and users in Provo, Utah. The institutional customer base gave the company credibility and provided visible examples of early electric fleet adoption. Good Clean Tech named Miles the Electric Car Company of 2007, further reinforcing its profile in the emerging clean-transportation sector. The company nevertheless faced the structural difficulties common to early electric-vehicle ventures: limited production scale, dependence on imported platforms and batteries, the specialized nature of its low-speed market, and the need for reliable dealers, service technicians, and replacement parts. Miles eventually filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on June 11, 2013. The filing listed estimated assets of $10 million to $50 million against estimated liabilities of $50 million to $100 million. After the bankruptcy, owners and fleet operators reportedly lacked a dependable dealer network, technical support, and parts supply. Some operators maintained vehicles by cannibalizing parts from other examples. Miles Electric Vehicles is now a defunct brand and remains primarily significant as an early U.S. distributor and manufacturer of compliant, China-sourced low-speed electric vehicles.

1. 2013Bankruptcy filing

   Miles files for bankruptcy protection in Delaware, marking the collapse of the business.

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2. 2008AC-motor models join the lineup

   Miles introduces AC induction propulsion, regenerative braking, and related upgrades on the ZX40S Advanced Design and ZX40ST.

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3. 2007ZX40ST debuts at FedFleet

   The company introduces its electric utility truck at the FedFleet event in Orlando for institutional and fleet applications.

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4. 2007Named Electric Car Company of 2007

   Good Clean Tech recognizes Miles Electric Vehicles with its Electric Car Company of 2007 award.

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5. 2005ZX40 enters the U.S. market

   Miles begins selling the ZX40, a compact electric vehicle adapted from a Chinese-built platform and marketed for U.S. low-speed-road use.

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Affordable, compliant, short-range electric transportation for fleets, campuses, airports, government organizations, and other controlled or low-speed environments.

• ZX40Low-speed electric passenger car2005

  The ZX40 was a compact two- or four-seat electric car based on a Chinese-built licensed Daihatsu Move platform. It used a 48-volt electric motor, a lead-acid battery pack, and an onboard charger compatible with a standard 120-volt outlet. The vehicle was electronically limited to 25 mph and was marketed with a claimed range of up to 40 miles. Miles discontinued it for the 2008 model year as the ZX40S and AC-motor variants became the principal offerings.

• ZX40SLow-speed electric passenger car2008

  The ZX40S was the higher-performance successor to the ZX40. Its 72-volt electrical system was intended to provide quicker acceleration and a claimed range of approximately 50 to 60 miles, while the vehicle remained electronically limited to 25 mph under the federal low-speed-vehicle framework. It was designed for short-distance fleet, campus, and institutional operations rather than conventional highway travel.

• ZX40S Advanced DesignAC-motor low-speed electric vehicle2008

  The ZX40S Advanced Design retained the ZX40-series body but added a three-phase brushless AC induction motor and associated controller technology. The configuration was promoted as offering stronger torque, improved hill climbing, longer expected motor life, regenerative braking, and optional heating and air conditioning. It was aimed at operators needing more capability than the original DC-motor ZX40.

• ZX40ST Electric TruckElectric utility truck2007

  The ZX40ST was a compact electric work truck based on the Hafei Minyi pickup. It used the AC induction motor configuration, regenerative braking, and a 25-mph governed top speed. Miles marketed it for fleet and utility work and claimed a range of 50 to 60 miles, although reported real-world range was materially lower in some tests and operating conditions. Weatherproofing and other work-oriented options were available.

• OR70Higher-speed electric vehicle

  The OR70 was a faster Miles electric vehicle capable of exceeding 35 mph, but it was not generally legal for public-road operation under the applicable low-speed-vehicle rules. NASA used the model on suitable institutional campuses. Production was reportedly suspended from the 2008 model year because of poor performance.

• 2013File for bankruptcy protectionOther

  The company faced the challenges of a specialized low-speed market and a limited service and parts network.

  What changed. Miles filed in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on June 11, 2013.

  Aftermath. The filing left vehicle operators without dependable dealer coverage, technical support, or a consistent parts source.

  Estimated assets and liabilities. Assets: $10 million–$50 million; liabilities: $50 million–$100 million (Bankruptcy filing on June 11, 2013)

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• 2008Replace the ZX40 with the ZX40S familyGeneration change

  The original ZX40 offered limited power through a 48-volt system and was discontinued for the 2008 model year.

  What changed. Miles shifted its passenger-vehicle lineup to the 72-volt ZX40S and the AC-motor ZX40S Advanced Design.

  Aftermath. The change expanded the claimed range and improved acceleration and power options while preserving the low-speed-vehicle operating model.

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• 2008Adopt AC induction propulsionProduct launch

  Miles sought better performance for hills and fleet use than its earlier DC-motor vehicles could provide.

  What changed. The company introduced three-phase brushless AC induction motors, Curtis-Albright controllers, regenerative braking, and optional climate equipment on selected models.

  Aftermath. The upgraded drivetrain became part of the ZX40S Advanced Design and ZX40ST offerings, although the company later ceased operations.

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• 2013Miles Electric Vehicles files for bankruptcy

  Miles filed for bankruptcy in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware on June 11, 2013. The filing reported estimated assets of $10 million to $50 million and estimated liabilities of $50 million to $100 million.

  Bankruptcy
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• 2008Miles adds AC motor technology to selected 2008 models

  The company introduced three-phase brushless AC induction motors on the ZX40S Advanced Design and ZX40ST, adding regenerative braking and improved performance features.

  Product generationProduct launch
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• 2008Miles suspends OR70 production

  Production of the higher-speed OR70 was reportedly suspended for the 2008 model year following consistently poor performance.

  Product generation
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• 2007Miles receives Electric Car Company of 2007 recognition

  Good Clean Tech named Miles Electric Vehicles its Electric Car Company of 2007, reflecting the company's visibility during the early U.S. market for small electric vehicles.

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• 2007ZX40ST electric truck introduced for fleet use

  Miles presented the ZX40ST electric work truck at FedFleet in Orlando. The truck was designed for short-distance utility and fleet operations and used a 25-mph electronically limited configuration.

  Product launch
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• 2005Miles Electric Vehicles begins U.S. sales of the ZX40

  Miles gained prominence by introducing the ZX40 to the U.S. market. The compact electric vehicle was presented as a street-legal Chinese-made automobile adapted for American low-speed-vehicle requirements.

  Product launch
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1. Miles Electric Vehicles