A zero-emissions runabout will cover a little more than 160 miles
SEAT has announced that it will launch an electric version its Mii city car this autumn, marking the brand’s first foray in to the zero-emission market.
The new little car will be called the Mii Electric. It boasts a provisional range (161.5 miles) and an electric motor of 82 horsepower, similar to the VW e-Up! SEAT claims the new model will be based on the gasoline-powered Mii, which shares many similarities with the Skoda Citgo and Volkswagen Up !. It will combine “dynamism and urban design with an advanced powertrain and new levels connectivity with affordability and low costs of ownership.”
It’s hard to tell that the car is an electric vehicle from a quick glance. It has the same design as the internal combustion-engined Mii’s, and the same grille. The only thing that makes this design different is the absence of an exhaust pipe.
The interior is identical, but the dashboard has been updated to be more in line with the new-generation VW Up! The big draw is still the “Mii Electric” lettering on the dashboard fascia.
The exterior may not be remarkable, but the engineering behind the motor is. SEAT claims that the motor produces 156 pound-feet (212 Newton meters) of torque at all throttle positions, making it ideal for driving in and out traffic. The Spanish company claims that the motor can travel at 0 to 31 mph (0-50 km/h), rather than the more common 0-62 mph (0-100 km/h). It turns out that the sprint is only 3.9 seconds long, and the top speed is 81 MPH (130 Kph).
The electrons from the Mii’s 36.8-kWh lithium battery pack provide the fuel for all of this. It can charge to 80 percent with a 7.2 kW charger in about four hours.
“The market is changing and electrification has been expanding at an unprecedented pace,” stated Luca de Meo (President of SEAT). “Europe’s electric vehicle market grew 46 percent in the first 4 months of this year. We expect electrified cars to play an important part in our future range.” The Mii Electric, which is both affordable and a start on that journey, brings an affordable electric vehicle to the market.
The new Mii Electric will be available for purchase in the last months of 2019, with vehicles arriving to customers in the first quarter 2020. The exact price will be announced closer to the date