The Coda: Another electric car headed from China to the USA

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

A start-up called Coda Automotive unveiled an electric car today that it plans to start selling in California next year, and later, the country. The five-passenger sedan will be made with Chinese batteries, have a range of 90 to 120 miles per charge and sell for about $45,000 before federal and state rebates are applied.

...

It will have at least four-star crash protection, a computer-set top speed of 80 miles per hour and be able to accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than 11 seconds. It was built around the chassis of an existing Chinese car with some design help, especially on the front and back ends, from Porsche, Czinger said.

Coda will recharge from a 220-volt outlet in about six hours. From a standard 110-volt socket, recharge time would be more like 30 hours. Coda estimates it will cost about $3 in electricity to drive 100 miles.

Coda 005 The car will be primarily sold over the Internet. It will already come standard with power door locks and windows, navigation system, satellite radio and other goodies.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/op...9/06/67603039/1

[Ban Hammer 13,345]

Coda will recharge from a 220-volt outlet in about six hours. From a standard 110-volt socket, recharge time would be more like 30 hours. Coda estimates it will cost about $3 in electricity to drive 100 miles.

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

Coda will recharge from a 220-volt outlet in about six hours. From a standard 110-volt socket, recharge time would be more like 30 hours. Coda estimates it will cost about $3 in electricity to drive 100 miles.

Buy 2 Codas. Just 90k.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

And it will probably contain something deadly like the toys and drywall.

[payxibka 10,045]

not at all what I thought it would look like...

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

not at all what I thought it would look like...

?

[payxibka 10,045]

not at all what I thought it would look like...

?

thought it would look more like the Tata Nano

[NickD 203]

That would just about get me to Green Bay, when I get there, wonder where I could plug it in? And if I do find a spot, how will I kill 30 hours? Certainly would never find a 240 VAC outlet.

Course that would be on a nice warm summer day, in the winter, wouldn't have enough battery power left to leave my driveway. Does anybody know where I could get a good deal on a very long extension cord?

Of course the way things are today, most electricity is generated by fossil burning electrical plants and has to be carried very long distances with the accompanying losses. So why can't we make electricity efficiently in our vehicles? Has anyone even tried that? And if so, why even bother making that electricity, just another major loss in energy transfer, just use that energy to turn the wheels.

[Otto 83]

[spookyturtle 9,466]

not at all what I thought it would look like...

?

thought it would look more like the Tata Nano

There are cars that look like ta-tas? Wow.

[Danno 1,228]

NOt a bad looking car, I gotta feeling these electric cars will keep companies which deal in Haz MAterial handling/ clean-up, in business for a long time.

[mawilson 2,133]

A start-up called Coda Automotive unveiled an electric car today that it plans to start selling in California next year, and later, the country. The five-passenger sedan will be made with Chinese batteries, have a range of 90 to 120 miles per charge and sell for about $45,000 before federal and state rebates are applied.

...

It will have at least four-star crash protection, a computer-set top speed of 80 miles per hour and be able to accelerate from zero to 60 miles per hour in less than 11 seconds. It was built around the chassis of an existing Chinese car with some design help, especially on the front and back ends, from Porsche, Czinger said.

Coda will recharge from a 220-volt outlet in about six hours. From a standard 110-volt socket, recharge time would be more like 30 hours. Coda estimates it will cost about $3 in electricity to drive 100 miles.

Coda 005 The car will be primarily sold over the Internet. It will already come standard with power door locks and windows, navigation system, satellite radio and other goodies.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/op...9/06/67603039/1

Good luck!

[Danno 1,228]

It would seem to me, the energy is take to accelerate an elect. car could be offset partially by recapturing it when braking.

We have all had or seen the little hand cranked generators or the ones that ride on a bicycle wheel, why not use a clutch to engage a simple on-board generator each time you step on the brake.

Rather than the brake grab a disc (disc brakes) the clutch engages, putting drag on the car... the more pressure applied to the break peddle ....the more the clutch engages the generator (creating more drag) to help recharge the battery.

Certainly there would be standard breaks as well if the break peddle pressure reached a certain point.

Right now it takes a tremendous amount of wasted energy... to stop a car, seems like that negative... could be harnessed.

- Of course long trips on an interstate (with little braking) would not see much benefit.

I'm sure I am not the first person to consider this concept... and maybe someone is using it already.

aren't they?

Maybe an in-house Engineer can poke holes in the idea.

Ps Don't mention this idea to Al-Gore... he will swear it was his.

Edited June 5, 2009 by Danno

[stangguy 0]

It would seem to me, the energy is take to accelerate an elect. car could be offset partially by recapturing it when braking.

We have all had or seen the little hand cranked generators or the ones that ride on a bicycle wheel, why not use a clutch to engage a simple on-board generator each time you step on the brake.

Rather than the brake grab a disc (disc brakes) the clutch engages, putting drag on the car... the more pressure applied to the break peddle ....the more the clutch engages the generator (creating more drag) to help recharge the battery.

Certainly there would be standard breaks as well if the break peddle pressure reached a certain point.

Right now it takes a tremendous amount of wasted energy... to stop a car, seems like that negative... could be harnessed.

- Of course long trips on an interstate (with little braking) would not see much benefit.

I'm sure I am not the first person to consider this concept... and maybe someone is using it already.

aren't they?

Maybe an in-house Engineer can poke holes in the idea.

Ps Don't mention this idea to Al-Gore... he will swear it was his.

I'm not sure if you are being sarcastic but that is pretty much exactly how hybirds work. However, the clutch isn't neccesary as the braking can be controlled by the generators connection to the battery. An open circiut on the generator produces no resistance while closing the circuit to charge the battery causes a charge and resistance to be generated.

NickD, you are right about the losses involved in converting the energy. There are losses everywhere and generating the energy at the point of use is best. And usually converting sources is a bad idea, like from combusting a fuel to create rotational energy to drive a generator that creates electricity to drive a motor to create rotational energy. However, with an internal combustion engine which is the most efficient way to burn a fuel and convert it into rotational energy at best we are 45% efficient. However, their efficiency changes at different speeds. That is one of the biggest reasons for adding extra gears to transmissions. Because of the variability of efficiency with speed it is actually more efficient to run the engine at one speed and use it to turn a generator to create electricity that in turn is used to turn electric motors. Large freight locomotives have been doing this since the 1920's and all diesel submarines are of this design. THe upcoming series hybrids are of this design and are likely to be the most efficient vehicles we see. Someone just needs to dump the gasoline engine for a diesel and 100 mpg full size sedan would be a reality somewhere other than in the lab.

[Niels Bohr 72]

Nevermind

Edited June 6, 2009 by Niels Bohr