carwow · Video summary
My new daily is NOT what you expect
The Mia C is a rare, quirky electric car with significant repair challenges. Despite its flaws, the owner embarked on a journey to fix and customize it, highlighting the value of persistence in owning unique vehicles.
Watch on YouTube ↗Key takeaways
- 💡The Mia C is an extremely rare electric car (1000 made) with a high initial price point (£25,000 in 2012) that made it uncompetitive against more established EVs like the Nissan Leaf.01:02
- 🎯Unique design features like a central driving position and sliding doors offer benefits such as improved visibility and accessibility, but can also lead to unexpected ergonomic challenges.02:10
- ⚡Early electric car battery technology in the Mia C offered limited range (around 50-60 miles) and slow charging capabilities, making range anxiety a significant concern, especially when the battery degrades.03:15
- 🔍Repairing rare vehicles like the Mia C is significantly complicated by parts availability and a lack of technical documentation, often requiring creative solutions like cross-referencing with other vehicle models (e.g., Citroën Saxo).07:17
- 🚀If considering a rare or niche vehicle, thoroughly research parts availability and repair expertise before purchasing to avoid costly and time-consuming restoration projects.07:17
- 🚀The difficulty in sourcing parts for rare cars can be overcome by contacting specialist companies or even the original manufacturers/developers of successor models (e.g., Fox E-mobility).09:42
Chapters
- 0:00🎯 Introduction and Rarity of the Mia C
- 1:50🎯 Initial Impressions and Entry into the Car
- 4:09🎯 Driving Experience and Turned Issues
- 6:10🎯 Inspection and Mechanical Problems Found
- 10:38🎯 Battery Testing and Range Tests
- 20:50🎯 Part Sourcing and Repair Challenges
- 21:40🎯 Fitting Parts and Repair Attempts
- 33:00🎯 Electronics and System Diagnostics
- 39:30🎯 Fixing Cosmetic and Bodywork Damage
- 40:06🎯 Final Reveals and Summary
The digest
High-Level Overview
This detailed examination centers on the Mia C, one of the rarest electric cars in the UK, exploring its design, performance, maintenance challenges, and ownership peculiarities. Featuring firsthand testing, mechanical diagnosis, parts hunting, and restoration efforts, the review highlights what makes this tiny French-made electric car unique yet impractical in many respects. This is essential viewing for enthusiasts of rare EVs, potential owners of obscure electric cars, or professionals interested in the complexities of maintaining rare vehicles.
Keep reading in The Digest
The full 7-minute article, 11 more sections, and every new episode from carwow and the creators you follow.
- Introduction to the Mia C: A Rare and Unusual EV (0:00–3:00)
- Driving Impressions and Performance (3:40–13:15)
- Mechanical Problems Identified by Professional Inspection (5:14–10:00)
- Attempts at Sourcing and Fitting Replacement Parts (21:00–25:00)
- Electronic and Battery Challenges (10:40–19:00)
- Workshop Manuals and Expert Support (19:50–31:00)
- Repairs, MOT Testing, and Practical Maintenance (30:50–37:00)
- Cosmetic Restoration and Final Thoughts (37:00–43:15)
- Key Framework: Maintaining an Ultra-Rare EV - Lessons from the Mia C
- Practical Implications & Takeaways
- Action-Oriented Summary
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