A new car maker which is formally known as Coda made its debut at the L.A. Auto Show in November 2010. They are a privately held American company and their headquarters are based in Los Angeles, California. Their first car is an all electric four door sedan with room for five passengers. The car is powered by a 31 kWh lithium ion iron phosphate battery which is larger than others in its class This type of battery is more powerful and should last up to 15 years. The vehicle has a range of 142 km, which is also the longest range among its class. Among electric cars which are currently available in the U.S., only the Tesla Roadster has a better driving range. The Coda has been rated by the EPA as having a combined fuel economy at 117 kilometers per hour of 3.2 L/100 km.
The charge time needed to recharge the battery is around 6 hours by using a 220V plug. You will also be able to charge the battery when you are out by using a 110V mobile connection. This allows you to charge the battery from any standard electrical outlet. There is a Battery Management System (BMS), which lets you keep a constant eye of the battery’s charge level.
The battery has been made in a joint venture with Lishen Power Battery who are a global cell battery supplier to companies like Samsung, Apple and Motorola. The battery has an active thermal management system which keeps the pack from getting too hot or cold. This helps to maximize the life of the battery.
The battery is located in the center between the front and back wheels which helps to distribute the weight more evenly. This helps to free up the space for passengers and boot space. The headlight and tail lights on the Coda are LED. These last longer and are more energy efficient than most cars use.
The Coda comes with a single speed transmission which is called a BorgWarner eGearDrive. This helps to deliver a higher efficiency along with a high torque capacity and this helps to lower the noise and vibration. The electric motor inside the Coda is a UQM PowerPhase with 134 horsepower and 221 lbs of torque which gives the Coda plenty of zip.
Inside every Coda you will get as standard an Alpine all in one GPS navigation system with a 7 inch touch screen and audio and video combined. Also there is connectivity for Bluetooth and MP3 as well as iphone and ipod and usb.
If car rental companies in major cities, like Sydney do start to move their fleets to vehicles which are all electric or like the Tesla then this would reduce their carbon footprint as well as helping to reduce their maintenance costs for their fleets and the need to refuel their vehicles. This would also reduce the cost for car rental in sydney.