CODA will sell electric cars manufactured in China

CODA Automotive, a start-up electric car company in California, announced that its first model will be manufactured in China and go on sale in the second half of 2011. CODA has partnered with a Chinese company to produce the vehicles and Tianjin LiShen Miles Power Battery Systems who will produce the batteries. Philip F. Murtaugh, CODA’s chief executive officer, said the models will be produced to meet U.S. safety standards and that CODA will be supplying technology and engineering skills to the Chinese companies. The company plans to begin selling the four-door sedan which will retail for US$44,900 or US$32,400 after a federal and state tax credit, this year. The company expects to sell between 10,000 to 14,000 vehicles in the first year. If CODA meets that deadline ,it will become one of the first companies to sell a Chinese-made car in the U.S. Automakers are rushing to develop all-electric and hybrid vehicles, as governments make them attractive alternatives to gas-run cars, by offering tax breaks and incentives. Nissan Motor Company became the first company to offer an all-electric car in the U.S. market. Nissan’s car competes with the hybrid car the Chevrolet Volt manufactured by American carmaker General Motors. (March 2, 2011)