Evida powers ahead with Mia battery packs

EVIDA Power, the battery pack firm based in Coventry, has begun production of full-specification homologated battery packs for the German and French electric vehicle maker, Mia Electric.

The custom-designed lithium-iron phosphate 8 kWh energy systems will be used to power the automaker’s upcoming three and four-seater microbuses.

Evida has already begun shipping the battery packs, which will be integrated into the vehicles on Mia Electric’s assembly line in Cerizay, France.

The £150m deal, announced at the Geneva Motor Show in March, will see Evida supply Mia with up to 10,000 units per annum until 2016, and Mia’s first zero-emission city vehicles are scheduled for delivery to municipal and commercial fleet operators in the third quarter of this year.

To meet the order, Evida has increased its workforce to more than 20 engineers and supply chain managers. Expansion has also taken place at the group’s Chinese production facility and Israeli satellite office. In addition, Evida has sent engineering staff to Mia’s French assembly plant to oversee installation of the battery packs.

Trevor Power, Evida’s chief operating officer, said: “The start of the volume manufacture of battery packs for Mia Electric is significant and signals a clear demonstration of our ability to offer customers a bespoke and cost effective solution which can be rapidly progressed from concept to production.”

He said the firm had worked closely with Mia Electric to create a battery pack with would give its vehicles the optimum balance of range, power, and cost to the end-user.

Laurent Buffeteau, managing director of Mia Electric, said: “Evida’s battery technology lies at the heart of our forthcoming model range and has been custom designed to the specification of each of our vehicles.

“The launch of the production process is the result of the very successful and ongoing collaboration between both parties, and represents a major step forward in our desire to offer customers a practical and affordable zero-emission mobility solution.”

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