Melex is a Polish manufacturer of

electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter possessing an electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwel ...

microcars based in

Mielec Mielec () is the largest city and County seat, seat of Mielec County. Mielec is located in south-eastern Poland (Lesser Poland), in the Subcarpathian Voivodeship (Województwo Podkarpackie). The population of Mielec in December 2021 was 59,509. ...

, operating since 1971. The company MELEX has gained such significant popularity that the name MELEX has become synonymous with small

electric vehicles An electric vehicle (EV) is a motor vehicle whose propulsion is powered fully or mostly by electricity. EVs encompass a wide range of transportation modes, including road vehicle, road and rail vehicles, electric boats and Submersible, submer ...

. Their rich tradition, history, and experience have earned them customer recognition and numerous awards and distinctions, such as the Forbes Diamonds, Qltowa Marka, TERAZ POLSKA, and the Economic Award of the President of Poland in the category of International Product in the entire segment of the electric vehicle market. The MELEX brand holds certifications for top-quality products and advanced technological solutions, as evidenced by

ISO 9001 The ISO 9000 family is a set of international standards for quality management systems. It was developed in March 1987 by International Organization for Standardization. The goal of these standards is to help organizations ensure that they meet ...

and

ISO 14001 The ISO 14000 family is a set of international standards for Natural environment, environment management systems. It was developed in March 1996 by International Organization for Standardization. The goal of these standards is to help organizations ...

certifications.

History

Beginnings

Electric vehicles have been produced by the Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego "PZL-Mielec" since 1971 in the newly established department of the aircraft factory in Mielec. Their production began with the intention of exporting to the American market. Initially, they were produced as three-wheeled golf carts, and by 1973, the product range was expanded to include four-wheeled passenger, cargo, and golf carts. The design of the vehicle family was overseen by Janusz Zygadlewicz. The most popular variant in Poland became the two-seater cargo vehicle with an open body. In the Melex WGE-3 variant, it could carry 150 kg of cargo. Gradually, variants with enclosed cabins also appeared. By 1977, over 46,000 Melex vehicles had been produced, with a significant portion being exported; annual production reached about 10,000 units. Melex logo

Division

In 1993, as a result of the division and privatization of WSK PZL-Mielec, Melex began operating as a separate

company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether Natural person, natural, Juridical person, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members ...

. On 1 September 2004, the company was purchased by Andrzej and Dorota Tyszkiewicz and began operating as a general partnership under the name Melex A&D Tyszkiewicz. In 2021, the company was acquired by the Danish manufacturer of golf vehicles, Garia A/S. In 2022, the company Garia A/S, along with Melex, was acquired by the American company Club Car.

Popularity

Nowadays, vehicles under this name are produced in several variations with different purposes, categorized into three groups: passenger vehicles, cargo vehicles, and special-purpose vehicles. They are used in various settings, including

golf courses A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a tee box, a fairway, the rough and other hazards, and a green with a cylindrical hole in the ground, known as a "cup". ...

, historic city centers,

airports An airport is an aerodrome with extended facilities, mostly for commercial air transport. They usually consist of a landing area, which comprises an aerially accessible open space including at least one operationally active surface such ...

train stations A train station, railroad station, or railway station is a Rail transport, railway facility where trains stop to load or unload passenger train, passengers, freight rail transport, freight, or both. It generally consists of at least one railwa ...

cemeteries A cemetery, burial ground, gravesite, graveyard, or a green space called a memorial park or memorial garden, is a place where the remains of many dead people are buried or otherwise entombed. The word ''cemetery'' (from Greek ) implies th ...

, factories, logistics centers, parks, zoos, and other enclosed areas. Vehicles from Mielec are highly popular in their class—so much so that electric carts from other companies are often referred to as "Melexes." Melex is a registered trademark. It was registered in two graphic versions by the Wytwórnia Sprzętu Komunikacyjnego "PZL-Mielec" and in one by the company "Melex A&D Tyszkiewicz." Additionally, this company has registered "meleks" as a wordmark.Reservations: TOW: (210) 74493, (220) 02-06-1975, TOW: (210) 74650, (220) 02-06-1975, Patent Office of the Republic of Poland.

Contemporary versions

* Cargo * Passenger * Special-Purpose * Homologated * Non-Homologated

References

External links

* (in Polish and English)
A Brief History of Melex Golf Carts
at Vintage Golf Cart Parts Electric vehicles Science and technology in Poland Polish brands Vehicles introduced in 1971 Products introduced in 1971 {{Poland-company-stub