I just saw this article on a Chinese car that might be the first electric sedan for sale in the united states. Rather than being a ground up development specifically designed as an electric vehicle they are using a modified version of an existing car.
It will be distributed in the US by Coda (which is a branding exercise of Hafei which actually manufactures the car)
Interesting to think that the Chinese may actually be selling electric vehicles before the Japanese, Americans or Europeans. It won’t be cheap but no new electric vehicles can be because of economies of scale and development costs.
I made an reference to the Joule in an earlier post which is being developed by Optimal Energy. According to the FAQ it will be available in 2010, as will the Coda. I sometimes wonder if companies like Optimal Energy would not gain more support and have a wider customer base if they released more information regarding the developmental process as they follow it.
Surely releasing images of that car being tested and developed would whet potential clients appetites, and maybe even allow them to justify the premium they would need to pay for the car? The greater a following a car has the more likely it is someone will pay a premium price for it right? Or do I have supply and demand wrong?
More info on the Coda on their website and on Technology Review at http://www.technologyreview.com/business/22898/
Posted under Car news, Electric Vehicles
This post was written by Shaun on June 22, 2009
