In the wake of World Electric Vehicles Day, one automotive supplier has been working hard to ensure their product range is a good fit for the EV market. Multimac, manufacturer of 3-seater and 4-seater child car seats has experienced a sharp rise in seat orders for electric vehicles over the last twelve months as the adoption of electrification in cars has increased.
Founder and CEO Kevin Macliver commented,
“The topic of climate change has been bubbling away in the background for decades but it seems as though we are finally entering that phase where the majority of people do want to make serious changes to their daily lives in order to help reduce their impact on the environment. And as a result, a lot more of our customers are now having Multimacs fitted into electric cars. Perhaps it’s the improved performance and relative affordability of electric vehicles or maybe it’s the result of a nation with more time on their hands to reflect during the pandemic. Either way, it looks like electric cars have finally claimed a place on our driveways.”
Multimac fitted their first car seat in a BMW i3 in 2014 when electrification was still in its infancy. Fast forward to present day, the company offer the seat in 7 different sizes and they can be trimmed any colour, including an electric white as pictured here in the Tesla model X. The specially designed car seat will fit almost any car that has a back seat.
Operations Director Minty Macliver told us,
“One of the early electric cars that we fitted a Multimac in was the BMW i3, which is a very clever car but incredibly compact. So much so, that it was slightly too narrow for our classic Superclub seat. Anticipating a big demand, we decided to design a new model, the ‘Superclub Junior’, which fits exactly between the rear seat armrests. This meant to our eco-aware customers could carry 3 children cleanly and safely.”
Birmingham-based Multimac is an international business and regularly ships seats to Norway, one of the keenest adopters of electric cars. Their fitting portfolio includes scores of Nissan Leafs, Porsche Taycans and of course, many Teslas. As each electric car is announced, Multimac produce an appropriate fitting kit, so there is no delay in the electric car revolution, while they already fit all traditional cars.
Designed for families, and childminders, with three or more young children, the Multimac has strong green credentials. By not having to buy a bigger car to accommodate multiple children, parents can continue to run their smaller, more fuel efficient, cars. The seat is based on an aluminium frame which makes the entire product recyclable. This feature does also make the seats extremely durable, much to the chagrin of the sales team as the high residual values on Multimacs has created a buoyant second-hand market. To fit the seats safely for their second (or third!) life, a fitting kit can be purchased from the manufacturer for £29.00.
Kevin Macliver concluded by saying,
“Ultimately, we want our customers to be able to continue to drive the car that they want. That was always my premise, ‘keep the car you’ve got…even with three or four children in the back. As customers are now making the mass change over to electric cars, we are gearing up production to accommodate all electric vehicles. Whether you have a compact car that needs an ultra-slimline model, or you need a rear-facing baby seat that doesn’t force your front seat up against the windscreen, we’ve got a Multimac that will fit.”
With safety at the forefront of the company’s values, they are launching a new product in the Autumn, the Road Coat: a specially designed children’s coat with unique shoulder gate design that means they can be safely worn in car seats without jeopardizing the safety of the seatbelt.
More details about the Multimac car seats can be found on their website along with a car look-up where customers can check to see which model will fit their car.
Images courtesy of Multimac