Electric vehicles have been a large part of our recent auto industry, but did you know that before Tesla there were other companies offering all-electric vehicles to consumers?
In this article, we’ll be sharing with you everything you need to know about the Miles electric work trucks.
To learn more about this no-defunct private electric vehicle company, keep reading.
Key Takeaways:
We’ll discuss the different Miles electric truck models that were released in their time, as well as the type of vehicles they were.
Stay tuned to get answers to frequently asked questions and learn about the limitations of these work trucks. Let’s get into it!
Miles Electric Truck Overview
The Miles electric truck models aren’t being released anymore because the Chinese company behind them has been bankrupt since 2013.
However, have you seen the $3,000 Chinese Chang Li Electric Truck you can order to your house?
But you can still find some of these low-speed EVs for sale, used, online. And if you’re interested in using them at all, you should know about the following aspects:
- Miles truck models
- Electric truck speed limitations
- Time of release
- Current cost of Miles electric truck
- Fun facts
Miles Electric Truck Models
During the time frame in which the Miles electric vehicles were produced, only five models hit the market.
| ZX40ST Electric Truck | ZX40 | ZX40S | ZX40S Advanced Design | OR70 | |
| Model Specs | A 2007 pickup truck release with 50-60 miles per charge and an AC induction motor | A 2007 subcompact with 40 miles per charge and a single motor | A faster version of the ZX40, 2008, with 50-60 miles per charge | An enhancement of the ZX40S with an improved AC induction motor | Faster than any other Miles model (traveling up to 35 miles per hour), illegal for use on public roads |
EV Truck Speed Limitations
Because the Miles electric trucks were designed to be low-speed work trucks, they are electronically limited to about 25 miles per hour. This means that they aren’t designed for use on highways and interstate roads.
Because of these speed limitations, the trucks were primarily good for work fleets.
If you only need to drive in-town on roads with speed limits up to 35 miles per hour, then these could be the perfect trucks to haul materials and save money on fuel.
The only Miles vehicle that was designed to travel faster than 25 mph was the OR70, which could reach 35 mph. However, it was only legal to drive on private NASA roads.
Miles Electric Truck Time Frame
The time frame in which Miles electric trucks were released was very short-lived. The Chinese company was officially founded in 2004.
But the vehicles weren’t released until 2007. And by the time 2013 came around, the company had filed for bankruptcy.
Now, there are still some Miles electric vehicles that you might be able to purchase used from a private owner.
Current Miles Electric Truck Cost
You may be wondering how much does it cost to buy one now that they’re not being released anymore?
Since these vehicles are basically obsolete, prices are going to vary greatly depending on the price set by the previous owner.
But in their day, around a decade ago, these vehicles cost a little under $20,000 when bought new.
Fun Facts About the Miles EV Truck
- These electric trucks were the first neighborhood electric vehicles globally to be crash-tested and gain compliance with the United States DoT, NHTSA, and California Air Resources Board
- Certain models used on-board chargers
- The Miles company was founded by Miles Rubin
- Miles vehicles had all-steel body construction
- Electric trucks today can now travel hundreds of miles on a single charge
- Certain NASA campuses used the OR70 model
- The OR70 model was known for poor performance in its day
- The Miles ZX40 model was only on the market for one year
- Miles electric fleet trucks were mostly used by US military bases, scientific companies, and tech-forward universities back in the 2000s
Final Thoughts
Now that you know about the Miles electric truck (everything you need to know), hopefully you’re aware of why these vehicles aren’t on the market anymore.
Their short-lived release period ended swiftly in the company’s bankruptcy in 2013, and only four of the five electric vehicle models were legal to drive on public roads.
Today, there are newer advancements in the electric vehicle industry that allow drivers to travel longer than the 40-60 miles per charge and 25 mph limit of their Miles EV predecessors.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many miles can an electric truck go?
Most modern electric trucks can’t travel further than about 200-300 miles on a full charge.
But back in the day of Miles electric trucks, those vehicles weren’t designed to travel further than about 40-60 miles per charge and often didn’t surpass 20-30 miles per charge during actual use.
How much does it cost to charge an electric truck?
It’s a lot cheaper to charge an electric vehicle than it is to fill up a gas car with fuel, especially with the way inflation is working.
Today, it costs roughly $0.03 per mile to charge an electric vehicle, according to data provided by the United States Department of Energy. So a full charge on an EV usually only costs several dollars.
How long does it take to charge an electric truck?
Electric vehicles today take longer to fully charge from empty than it takes to top them off otherwise.
Generally, though, it takes about a half-hour to add 100 miles of charge to an EV or around 8 hours to charge one fully from a dead battery.
Is charging an electric car cheaper than gas?
Charging an electric vehicle is almost always cheaper than filling up a car with gas fuel.
And it’s even more affordable to charge an electric vehicle at home with a home charging unit than it is to charge one at an official charging location.
