6 hot electric car start-ups
by By Peter Valdes-Dapena, CNNMoney.com, November 4, 2009
Each of these carmakers is gearing up to be the next big thing in electric automobiles. Here is how they’re charting success.
Tesla Motors is already well-known for its all-electric two-seat Tesla Roadster sports car, which has received tons of media attention. The $100,000 vehicle recently went on sale, and so far about 900 have been sold — many to wealthy Silicon Valley types.
Tesla is just one of a handful of start-ups trying to muscle their way into the big leagues with plug-in cars. But they’ll all have to take on the major automakers like Ford, General Motors and Nissan, each of which are working on their own electric cars.
Now, Tesla is going after the mass market with a plug-in electric sedan dubbed the Model S. The car is slated for production in late 2011 and will cost about $57,000, but anyone who buys an electric car is eligible for a $7,500 federal tax credit.
Tesla’s making some big promises for the Model S, including sporty driving dynamics as well as the ability to go from zero to 60 in under six seconds. It will be able to drive up to 300 miles on a single charge, depending on the battery pack a buyer chooses. (The base version will have a range of 160 miles.)
Tesla says the car can seat seven — five adults plus two children — if you get an optional third row of rear-facing seats. There are two trunks for luggage, one in the front and one in the back.
Like Tesla, Fisker is entering the market at the high end with the Fisker Karma, an $88,000 extended-range electric car which is scheduled to come out in the summer.
The Karma will drive about 50 miles on electric power alone before a gasoline engine kicks in to generate electricity for further driving. Fisker promises average fuel economy of about 100 miles per gallon for most drivers, and says the car can hit 60 miles per hour in under six seconds.
Even the luxurious interior of Fisker’s car is eco-friendly. For Vegan drivers, there will be an EcoChic model that uses no animal products. The alternative EcoSport edition will use sustainably farmed leather that uses 85% of each animal’s hide.
Fisker recently made news with its deal to buy the Delaware factory that General Motors had used to make the Pontiac Solstice sports car. It plans to use the facility to produce an electric car that’s less expensive than the Karma, starting in late 2012.
Aptera
Aptera is working to finalize its last round of funding before it starts producing its three-wheeled car called the Aptera 2e. While the car looks like something out of a sci-fi movie, Aptera promises all the functionality and safety of a regular four-wheeled car. The three-wheel design helps cut down on wind resistance to help minimize energy consumption. Four wheeled versions are slated for later on.
The all-electric Aptera 2e had been set to start production later this year, but has run into some delays due to design changes. Nevertheless, Aptera’s chief marketing officer Marquis McCammon remains confident that the company will begin production on the car this year.
Separately, Aptera is also planning a plug-in hybrid version of the car, which adds a gasoline engine to give the car a 300 mile driving range.
McCammon contends that the company can be profitable with just the two models, but Aptera eventually plans to branch out into more mainstream products.
Bright is aiming at the commercial market with this plug-in hybrid van called the Bright Idea. It’s targeted at big companies that buy vehicles in bulk, an area that Bright says has been ignored by other electric automakers. Bright boasts of working with companies like Duke Energy and Johnson Controls to help design its vans.
For now, the Bright Idea exists only as a prototype. It uses electric motors to drive the rear wheels, and a gasoline engine pitches in to drive the front wheels once battery power begins to run down. At that point, it will operate like a typical hybrid vehicle with fuel economy of around 40 miles per gallon, the company says.
Production is scheduled to begin in 2012. Bright won’t say how much the van will cost, but says customers are interested because of all the money commercial outfits can save on gas.
“Our whole thesis is based on the fact that fleet customers in the U.S. need an economic solution,” said Lyle Shuey, Bright’s director of marketing.
You can buy a car called the Wheego Whip now, but it’s not what most people would consider a “real car.” It’s a Neighborhood Electric Vehicle, or NEV. The Whip that is now on the market will only hit speeds up to 35 miles per hour, has a range of about 40 miles on a single charge and costs about $20,000. All of that makes the Whip well suited for short commutes or running errands around town.
As an NEV, the Whip can legally forgo certain safety features such as airbags, although the basics, like three-point seatbelts, are still required. Additionally, the Whip isn’t required to go through the same crash tests as cars that can drive at higher speeds.But Wheego has plans to turn the Whip into a real highway capable car, with a better battery and more safety features. The company has just started crash tests on the new model.
Coda pointedly sets itself apart from companies like Telsa and Fisker by saying that its car is “not elitist.”Its mid-sized sedan is intended for “real people,” the company says, not wealthy folks who like to dabble in electrified transportation.
The challenge for Coda is that, while their car steers clear of those high-priced competitors, it’ll be driving right into the teeth of existing mainstream automakers like Ford, Nissan and General Motors. Those automakers, and others, will be coming out with similarly priced plug-in cars over the next couple of years.
Coda sees a window of opportunity, though, because it will be on the market earlier than some of those competitors. Also, it’s operating a joint venture with its battery supplier, ensuring a good supply of that vital component.
The Coda’s biggest downside could be the car’s design. Electric auto fans just don’t seem to be all that impressed by it, said Sebastian Blanco of Autobloggreen.com.
“Nobody I’ve talked to is really passionate about this car,” he added.
I really like the Telsa, and I think I would really appreciate having one when it is complete!
The Models Fisker Karma,Telsa are the most amazing car’s I have ever seen!