CHINAMERICAN EV

America's Newest Electric Car Could Be From China; Will the unassuming, near-silent Coda make some noise when it hits U.S. streets next year?
Andy Stone, June 20, 2009 (Forbes)

"Coda Automotive aims to be the David in an automotive world full of Goliaths. This week the Santa Monica, Calif., developer of electric vehicles showed off the latest iteration of its highway-speed electric vehicle, a nondescript four-door sedan that Coda Chief Executive Kevin Czinger says has overcome the technological hurdles and high costs that have dogged established auto giants' attempts to electrify for more than a century.

"Details on the performance of the car's Chinese lithium-ion batteries are scarce, though battery performance will be the first of many challenges Czinger will have to resolve if he wants to begin selling the Coda sedan by June 2010, as planned."

It must be a good car or there would be an alluring woman in a tight-fitting dress in this picture. (click to enlarge)

"The car is the vision of Miles Rubin, a former CEO of Ralph Lauren Polo jeans who in 2005 founded Miles Electric Vehicles to produce low-speed electrically powered fleet vehicles for university campuses and municipalities. He later began development of a commuter-friendly car with an 80 mile-per-hour top speed and 100 mile range…The low-speed business has been a modest success; last year Rubin spun-off the faster car as Coda Automotive, with Czinger, a former Goldman Sachs and Bertelsmann AG executive, running operations…"

Looking under the Coda's hood. (click to enlarge)

"But development of a highway-speed electric car brings technical challenges of a much greater magnitude. Coda's energy-dense lithium ion battery technology, developed by China's Lishen…must withstand 100,000 miles-worth of recharge cycles and eliminate the risk of spontaneous combustion…Such hurdles have forced auto majors to rely on less-efficient NiMH batteries in [other] hybrids…

"Czinger says his battery's unique iron-phosphate chemistry, as well as battery-management technology from an unnamed German supplier, have solved the problems. Czinger also has had to beef up the safety of the Chinese Haifei sedan that forms the foundation of the Coda. Using that ready chassis has shortened development…Czinger has added 95 upgrades, including structural reinforcements and the installation of advanced air bags…to meet American crash standards…[I]ts $45,000 price tag [could] come down to $32,500 in California following federal and state clean-car incentives."