The Coda all-electric sedan, due late this year, is the underdog in the race for an affordable mass-market pure electric car. Fans of electric vehicles, and supporters of good old-fashioned American entrepreneurialism, might celebrate Coda’s rugged and independent approach—but that’s being undermined by questions about the manufacturing origins of the Coda sedan.
California buyers will have the chance to purchase a Chinese-built highway-capable all-electric car by the end of this year. That was the promise made by Coda Automotive CEO Kevin Czinger to a group of about 60 automotive journalists last week. Speaking to a meeting of the Western Automotive Journalists, Czinger revised earlier pronouncements on price, declaring that after the $7,500 federal tax credit, a new Coda EV sedan will retail for about $30,000
Electric cars get more than their share of press these days. Just consider the Tesla Roadster, or the Chevrolet Volt. But a quiet startup in California, Miles Electric, may bring the first fully electric sedan to the US market within 18 months—and it would be the first Chinese-made car sold here as well. In an exclusive two-hour interview, president and CEO Kevin Czinger discussed the company’s strategy, its market positioning, and the development of its Highway Speed model.
As concerns over global warming, high gas prices, and dependence on foreign oil snowballed in the last few years, movers and shakers around the country decided to get in on the green car revolution. We take a look at six megamillionaires, who have each taken major stakes in a green transportation technology. But as these men surely know—or are about to learn—most small green car and alternative fuel companies face an uphill battle. Which of these wealthy tech investors do you think will be successful?
