New all-electric cars on the starting line

US all-electric carmaker CODA has announced plans to start production of its zero-emission, all-electric flagship sedan in 2012.

The vehicle, which CODA says will retail at a base price of $39,900, will come with a 10-year, 100,000-mile battery warranty.

“We dedicated this year to increasing efficiencies in order to bring down costs and as we go to market, we are committed to passing these savings to our customers,” says CEO Phil Murtaugh.

In California, the CODA sedan will cost only $29,900 after federal tax savings of $7500 and state vehicle rebates of $2500.

Rival electric carmaker Fisker Automotive has raised $58 million in finance to support the launch of Karma extended range electric car in Europe, according to news agency Bloomberg.

Fisker started deliveries of the Karma, which is assembled in Valmet Automotive’s plant in Finland, in the US last month but has not confirmed when it will be available in Europe.

Meanwhile, Honda unveiled its new lithium-ion battery-powered Fit electric vehicle at the Los Angeles Auto Show, which it says it will start leasing to US customers next summer.

The hatchback Fit EV, which has a range of 123-miles on a single charge, will debut in California and Oregon, before being rolled out to six East Coast markets in early 2013.

Honda says the vehicle is likely to retail at $36,625, before any subsidies, with a lease price of $399 a month.

“The Fit EV is the next critical step in Honda’s portfolio approach to alternative fuelled vehicles,” says American Honda’s head of sales John Mendel.

Spanish manufacturer Seat has announced its plans to launch a hybrid in 2015 followed by an all-electric car the next year.

The prototype hybrid is based on the Leon model and promises to boast an electric range of 52 km and average emissions as low as 39 g of CO₂/km.

The hybrid Leon will be followed by the Altea XL Electric Ecomotive, which Seat says will be designed, developed and manufactured in Spain.

But if you can’t wait that long, US rival Ford has started taking orders for its 2012 Focus electric, the company’s first foray into all-electric vehicles.

The vehicle, which the company claims can recharge in just three hours – around half the time of competitor Nissan’s LEAF, will initially be available in California and New York, before rolling out in a further 13 states.

For further information:
www.codaautomotive.com
www.fiskerautomotive.com/
www.FitEV.Honda.com
www.seat.co.uk/
www.ford.com/electric/focuselectric/2012/

18 November 2011

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