GEVCO & MIRA REVEAL CUTTING EDGE GLOBAL ELECTRIC VEHICLE SOLUTION – THE i-Mav

GEVCO’s plan to bring an exciting range of ‘white label’ electric vehicles (EVs) to market by 2015 moved a step closer this week as it revealed the design and technical specifications for its first vehicle – the i-Mav.

i-Mav (short for ‘I must have’) is the result of GEVCO’s partnership with MIRA and follows an intensive six month programme of work by the two companies which has harnessed their combined EV expertise to engineer a ‘clean sheet’ solution to personal low carbon urban transportation.

Jonathan Hunt, MIRA’s Senior Global Sales Manager for EV & HEV commented: “i-Mav is one the most technologically advanced EVs currently in development. Designed from the ground up for electric traction (not an adapted petrol derivative) i-Mav incorporates technologies that will make it competitive with conventionally powered vehicles in quality, cost, design and safety terms.”

The i-Mav is an EV capable of being manufactured in any market around the world to meet global homologation requirements and takes into account materials as well as component costs, access to supply chains and adopts appropriate ‘next generation’ technologies that meet GEVCO’s philosophy of ‘Zero Technology Compromise’ whilst being affordable to manufacture.

The GEVCO/MIRA team has incorporated several technologies never before seen on a production vehicle including: an Electro-Magnetic Geared motor that requires no gearbox – reducing cost, weight and complexity – and a unique aluminium-air battery that is significantly cheaper to produce, yet delivers higher energy density than any currently on the market, giving i-Mav a range of 430 miles (NEDC).

Inconsistencies in local charging infrastructure are also addressed with a newly developed space efficient ‘range extender’ designed specifically to charge the batteries.

The i-Mav is 135mm shorter and 126kg lighter than a Toyota iQ and capable of seating four adults (2x 6’ 2” and 2x 5’ 10”) in comfort, yet delivers a four-star Euro NCAP rating (based on 2012 requirements) thanks to an innovative, platform with the flexibility to support future commercial or roadster variants.

GEVCO Ltd founder and CEO Steve Woolley explains: “The company’s innovative business model presents an opportunity for new entrants to the EV sector to leap-frog the established automotive businesses in their own markets.

“The i-Mav and our ‘white label’ approach reduce the main barriers to market entry – set-up costs and risk – through a business model that facilitates ‘technology transfer’ and enables any major international corporation to assemble, distribute and sell a competitive market-ready vehicle under their own-brand.

“Our aim was to design more than just another EV,” adds Steve. “We intend to deliver a step-change in the way society views personal mobility. i-Mav embodies GEVCO’s philosophy of ‘Zero Technology Compromise’ and recognises that in order to appeal to the iPod generation a vehicle must reflect users’ lifestyles and be desirable as well as fun to drive.”

Having unveiled i-Mav, the GEVCO/MIRA team is now entering the next exciting phase of its plan – working with a number of partner companies to produce two operational demonstrator vehicles that will bring the concept to life.

GEVCO Ltd is an exciting new UK based EV company led by a highly experienced e-automotive team, which has developed a unique business model mitigating the mass volume supply chain need through a global partner concept, enabling the viable introduction of a range of exciting must have ‘white label’ 2nd generation electric vehicles based on GEVCO’s philosophy of Zero Technology Compromise. http://www.globalelectricvehicle.com

MIRA limited is a world-leader in advanced engineering, research and product testing. Over the past 65 years it has grown into a truly international organisation with facilities located around the world. MIRA’s work spans the Automotive, Defence, Aerospace and Rail industries and includes the development of ground-breaking low carbon vehicle (LCV) technologies including Jaguar’s Limo Green.