Coda Sedan EV Arriving at California Dealerships this Week

Sure, Coda Automotive happily announced its first real deliveries of its all-electric Sedan two months ago, but its been quieter since then about the problems it has had with some damaged parts were shipped over from China. A new report from Automotive News says that Coda is repairing the "minor" damage to those parts and that Coda's dealership in Los Angeles should be getting ten EVs to sell by the middle of this week.

From there, production and deliveries will increase, said Coda AUtomotive CEO Phil Murtaugh. While Coda assembles the Sedan in California, the bodies and powertrains are made in China. Murtaugh also said in a statement sent to AN that, "We have opted for a slow production acceleration in order to ensure flawless execution at every step of our operating system, which includes component supply from four continents, manufacturing operations at two locations in China and one location in the U.S., logistics pipeline and dealer delivery process."

 Coda has four dealerships, all of which have vehicles for test drives, located in Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, Orange County and San Diego.


 Source: Autoblog Green

CODA Holdings and Great Wall Motors to jointly co-develop global entry-level EV

CODA Holdings, a developer of battery-electric vehicles (CODA Sedan) and advanced battery systems signed a contract with Great Wall Motors Company to co-develop a lower-cost, entry-level battery-electric vehicle for worldwide distribution. The two had signed a Letter of Intent in August 2011.
Designed for the North American, Chinese, and European markets, this co-developed EV--which will be the second in CODA’s portfolio—is intended to be the most affordable EV on the market, comparable to entry-level internal combustion engine vehicles.
The joint effort will blend CODA’s battery technology, knowledge of the US market and experience with global joint ventures with the expertise of China's fastest growing and most profitable automotive producer. Great Wall Motors delivered nearly 500,000 vehicles in 2011 worldwide.
Products will be developed by employees of both companies in their research facilities in LA and Baoding, China. Vehicles will be sub-assembled in Great Wall’s manufacturing facilities in Baoding. Final assembly of US destined vehicles will take place in Coda’s facility in the US.


Source: Green Car Congress

Coda Abandons Plan to Build Li Ion Plant in Columbus, Ohio

The Columbus Dispatch reported that Coda Automotive is abandoning plans to build a Li-ion battery factory in Columbus. The company has been waiting for the US Department of Energy (DOE) to act on its $500-million loan application to help pay for construction.

Since Coda applied for the loan, the Department of Energy has come under fire for its loan to Solyndra, a maker of solar panels that later went bankrupt, and for aid to other electric car companies. Amid this criticism, the agency has made almost no new loans, and some lawmakers have called for changes to the programs.

...Coda leaders said in recent months that they remained hopeful about the loan, but that they had developed a business plan that would work without the Ohio plant.

First Coda EV Rolls Off Assembly Line, EPA Rated At 88-Miles

Despite reservations from the buying public, and withering attacks from anti-EV advocates, the march of progress rolls on. California-based Coda, a start-up EV maker with high aspirations for its all-electric sedan, has finally recieved its official EPA ratings just as production of the first model begins. And the numbers look good; an 88-mile EPA-rated range and an MSRP of $37,250.

Of course, that doesn’t belay the fact that underneath the Coda’s bland exterior is a Chinese-manufactured car based on an old platform. That’s why the cost is so low, with most of the money being poured into the 31 kWh battery system that Coda claims can deliver up to 125 miles of range. The EPA thinks the Coda is only good for 88 miles on electricity, though that is better than EV’s from any other major auto manufacturer.

For comparison, the Nissan Leaf is rated at 73 miles per charge, the Ford Focus Electric at 76 miles per charge, and the Mitsubishi i at just 62 miles. Priced at $37,250, the Coda sedan falls right in between the Leaf and Focus (before rebates) and comes with a 10-year/100,000 mile drivetrain warranty. The rest of the car gets just a 3-year/36,000 mile warranty.

A significant backlog of orders means that it will take a while for these sedans to hit the road en masse. even though production has just begun. Coda’s path has been a long one, and not always easy…do they really stand a chance in the marketplace? I have to admit, the price is right, and if the 125-mile range is to be believed, that’s quite reasonable for the cost. But I still have my reservations that Coda will even be around in five years.

For now though, I am just happy to have another non-petroleum alternative. Check out the next page for the press release.

Source: Coda

John Anderson Joins CODA Automotive as Vice President of Aftersales and Customer Quality Experience

PRESS RELEASE

CODA Holdings, a leading developer of all-electric vehicles and advanced battery systems, today announced automotive professional John Anderson as its vice president of aftersales and customer quality experience for CODA Automotive.

"With such a rich automotive background, we're excited to have John Anderson join our executive team," said Thomas Hausch, SVP of sales, marketing and aftersales, CODA Holdings. "With John's extensive experience in both large and small OEM aftermarket environments, we're confident that he will help us fulfill CODA's commitment to our customers and dealers, and ultimately help accelerate the adoption of electric vehicles."

Anderson has more than 30 years of aftersales experience in corporate and retail environments. During his tenure at Saab, Anderson supported numerous new vehicle and new dealer launches with comprehensive aftermarket strategies. He held numerous positions at Saab's corporate headquarters in Sweden and was most recently responsible for aftersales operations for both US and Canadian markets. Anderson also held various positions at General Motors, where he successfully developed and implemented key initiatives for Opel, Chevrolet and Saab – from a comprehensive aftersales channel marketing strategy to wholesale and retail training curriculums – for the North American and European markets.

"I'm excited to be a part of the CODA team," said Anderson. "The opportunity to join an all-EV brand as it is launching is a rare opportunity that I'm thrilled to be a part of. I look forward to helping the brand quickly grow and working closely with dealers on delivering an exceptional CODA customer experience."

About CODA Holdings
Headquartered in Los Angeles, CODA Holdings is a leading developer of advanced Lithium-ion power battery systems comprised of three key business lines: CODA Automotive, CODA EV Propulsion Systems and CODA Energy. Together with its JV partners, CODA is working to reduce dependence on fossil fuels and leading the way to a cleaner future through its electric vehicles and stationary energy storage products. The first consumer product available will be a zero emission four-door, five-passenger EV sedan with a full-size trunk that is designed to meet American drivers' daily transportation needs. For more information on the CODA sedan, visit www.codaautomotive.com.

Coda will start selling Sedan in February, report says

Coda Automotive will finally start selling its battery-electric sedan by the end of February, Coda CEO Phil Murtaugh told the Detroit News.

The Los Angeles-based company will soon have five dealers – one in San Diego, one in the San Francisco Bay Area and three others in locations that haven't been disclosed – the newspaper said, adding that Coda plans to have 40 dealers in 25 cities by year end. The company hasn't disclosed how many vehicles it plans to sell this year.

The company, which opened its Los Angeles headquarters in November, said last September that it raised $147 million in its fourth round of financing to bring its total to more than $300 million since the company's 2009 founding. Coda will sell its 150-mile-range Sedan for $39,900 and said earlier this month that it would offer a version with a slightly shorter range for $2,650 less.

Coda Automotive parent company Coda Holdings said last week that it would launch a division specializing in energy storage, as the company looks to cash in on what many believe will be a rapidly growing market for secondary use of electric-vehicle batteries. The new company, Coda Energy, will specialize in designing battery systems that may be used for on-site power supply as well as a backup power source in the event of a grid outage. Coda has an existing business partnership with its car-battery supplier Lishen, which also makes lithium-ion batteries for companies such as Apple and Samsung.



Source: Autoblog Green

Will Coda Make Its Committment For Delivery of EV Sedan in February

Earlier this month at the 2012 Detroit Auto Show, Californian startup Coda Automotive promised that it would begin sales of its first car -- the all-electric 2012 Coda Sedan -- in February.

However, with just a week to go before the end of January and very little news to go on about the impending launch, you’d be forgiven for thinking Coda was on track to miss yet another deadline.

Not so, says Coda CEO Philip Murtaugh. Talking with The Detroit News yesterday, Murtaugh said sales of the $37,250 five seat sedan would start just as soon as final certification on the car has been completed.

That, he says, should happen before the end of February.

But final certification -- which includes obtaining official efficiency ratings from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and completing mandatory crash testing -- isn’t a process with a time-frame that can be easily guessed.

Without final certification, a car can’t legally be sold in the U.S.

2011 Coda Sedan electric car, lithium-ion battery pack, 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show

Last year, Californian electric automaker Fisker Automotive took much longer than anticipated to obtain all of the necessary certification paperwork for its first car, the 2012 Fisker Karma range-extended luxury sedan.

As a consequence, despite starting production last spring, it was October of 2011 before Fisker could legally sell its car.

With just one month to go, time is running out for Coda’s promise to deliver its first car by February 28, but will it make its latest deadline?

Source: Green Car Reports

CODA Automotive offers lower-cost battery and range option for electric sedan

CODA Automotive will offer two mileage range and price options in 2012 for the CODA sedan. In addition to the original model, equipped with a 36 kWh battery pack offering up to a 150-mile (241 km) range with a MSRP of $39,900, a new 31 kWh battery option will provide a driving range of up to 125 miles (201 km) and will be available at a lower base MSRP of $37,250.

After federal tax savings, the base price will be $29,750, and will qualify for additional state tax credits, including a maximum of $2,500 in California and up to $7,500 in 12 other states.

Research shows that the high cost of today's alternative fuel technologies is one of the largest barriers that keep the average driver from purchasing an electric vehicle. Our continuous dedication to identifying affordable solutions and passing the savings on to our customers aligns with our mission of putting an electric vehicle into every garage.

—Phil Murtaugh, CEO, CODA Holdings

A 6.6kW onboard charger provides a 100-mile charge in as few as four hours. The active air thermal management system provides constant battery care by keeping the Lithium-iron Phosphate (LiFePo₄) battery pack at its optimum temperature in hot and cold weather conditions.

CODA anticipates first deliveries of the 2012 CODA sedans will begin next month.

San Diego Dealers Delivers First Coda Sedan

The long-awaited Coda electric sedan finally has its first confirmed dealership, located in San Diego, California.

Marvin K. Brown Auto Center in the heart of San Diego is expected to be the first retailer to sell the 2012 Coda Sedan, when deliveries commence this year.

According to Automotive News, the dealership is set to open to the public in February, and is located in the heart of San Diego. Coda sees the location as a good move for the company, and the car should sit well alongside other low-emissions vehicles at Marvin K. Brown, who also sell Fisker vehicles.

"It's clear San Diegans are increasingly interested in zero-emission vehicles and the Coda sedan will resonate with the local community," explained David Grundstrom, CEO at Marvin K. Brown.

When it eventually hits the road, the Coda Sedan will mingle with other electric cars, like Car2Go's Smart ForTwo Electric Drives, and back in 2010 the region committed to 2,500 charging stations.

The city's suitability for EVs should make the $39,900 Coda Sedan an easy choice to live with, as should the Leaf-beating 150-mile claimed range. Whether image-conscious buyers will fall for the car's plain looks will be another matter, but it may suit buyers looking for a more understated vehicle. The Sedan has also just been named "Best Green Vehicle" at the 2011 San Diego Auto Show.

As well as the San Diego dealership, Coda has already signed agreements with dealers in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle and Honolulu, details of which should be confirmed soon.

So now we have the dealerships - all we need is for Coda to finally release its sedan into the market...



Source: Green Car Reports