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The CODA Sedan - A Step Forward
CODA, an American automotive company based in Santa Monica, California, is determined to see the era of combustion engines to its end. They are pioneers in developing battery electric vehicles (BEVs), teaming up with their subsidiary Lishen Power Battery and the resulting joint venture, Lio Energy Systems, and are among the final five contenders for the 2010 Green Vision award. The CODA sedan, due to debut in select states in December 2010, is, for combustion engines, the beginning of the end.
“We envision an EV in every garage,” CODA says. After obtaining millions from venture capitalists, CODA finally has some concrete engineering to supports its visionary claims of energy independence. The CODA sedan will be released in late 2009 and will vamp into full production by 2012. CODA’s sales pitches laud the utilitarian aesthetics and superior engineering of the Sedan, based on the Hafei Saibao.
The four-door, five-passenger Sedan is a pure BEV, using a lithium-iron phosphate battery with 134-hp and an impressive 221 lb-feet of torque to achieve a 90-120 mile range. Speed is electronically limited to 80-mph. The battery system, governed by CODA’s signature battery management system, can be charged with a standard 110v charger or optional 220v charger; the 220v charger will fully charge a battery in under six hours. The battery pack is covered by an 8-year, 100,000 mile warranty. CODA estimates that driving 100 miles should cost approximately $3 with average electricity costs.
CODA expects the Sedan to garner four- and five-star class ratings in U.S. crash test ratings. Six airbags, a collapsible steering column, occupant detection system, knee blocks and other active/passive safety systems make the Sedan a veritable mobile fortress for drivers and passengers alike.
Amenities are sufficient. An infotainment touchscreen interface is the technophilic medium between driver and car, and a hands-free phone is the medium between driver and people. A GPS, GreenScreen real-time fuel gauge, Emergency Roadside Assistance and a radio/CD sound system with USB/MP3 capability are the cherries on top.
The MSRP for the Sedan is an astonishingly high $44,900, with an average of $37,400 after rebates and $32,400 for California state residents. A Sedan can be reserved with a $499 refundable deposit.
The CODA Sedan is a step forward, but not a giant leap of progress. But progress it still is, and CODA will likely sell its target 10,000 vehicles in 2011. And that, hopefully, is just the beginning.