Elektroautos

Coda Automotive today announced that it will be introducing an affordable, full performance all‐electric sedan to the mainstream California market in 2010.

Additionally, the company, which has an existing long‐term sourcing contract with Tianjin Lishen Battery for lithium‐ion batteries used in the Coda, announced the establishment of a global joint venture with Lishen to design, manufacture and sell transportation and utility power storage battery systems.

As a new automotive company, Coda Automotive’s focus will be on branding, designing and manufacturing fully safety compliant, all‐electric cars capable of mainstream performance and highway use. Scheduled for delivery in the fall of 2010 in California, the four‐door, five‐passenger, fully‐equipped mid‐size Coda sedan will be available for $45,000 (mid‐$30,000s after including a $7,500 Federal tax credit and additional state incentives). Powered by a 333V lithium‐ion battery with a real‐world range of 90 to 120 miles depending on individual driving habits, the Coda sedan travels far enough between charges to satisfy 94% of daily driving routines. The onboard charger plugs into any 110 or 220V standard outlet and completes a full charge in less than six hours at a 220V service. Charging the battery for a 40‐mile commute can be completed in two hours.

Coda’s internal team, along with specialized U.S. and European engineering partners, oversee the manufacturing process to ensure that Coda vehicles are built to Western safety specifications and market expectations. This includes vehicle body design, safety engineering, the design and engineering of the battery pack, battery management system and power electronics, and additional engineering to integrate an electric vehicle drivetrain (comprised primarily of Tier 1 U.S.‐based supplier components) into the chassis. The Coda sedan is engineered to be FMVSS complaint, and based on existing crash test results the company expects a four or five‐Star NCAP crash rating.

Coda’s manufacturing partner, Hafei, is an established state‐owned Chinese manufacturer of automobiles and airplanes and has delivered more than one‐million vehicles and currently produces two‐hundred thousand vehicles per year.

Coda Automotive employs a direct distribution model, and will sell the vehicle only in the state of California initially. Coda will also perform the vehicle’s maintenance and service through an outsourced network comprised of brand name car service partners.

See specification sheet and vehicle video for more information.

(mp/wattgehtab.com)