Coda Automotive Celebrates Production of First Electric Sedan

March 13, 2012

'This car symbolizes our commitment to accelerating the adoption of EVs,' Executive Chairman Mac Heller said.

The first Coda electric sedan rolled off the assembly line on Tuesday at the automaker's plant in Benicia, Calif.

The silver all-electric sedan, powered by a 31-kilowatt-hour battery pack, is the first of Coda Automotive Inc.'s five-passenger sedans that will be delivered to customers in California, the company noted.

"This is an incredibly exciting day for the Coda family and the EV community," said Mac Heller, executive chairman of Coda Holdings, the parent company of Los Angeles-based Coda Automotive. "Since Day 1, we've been dedicated to designing an electric car that provides the amenities that the American driver has come to expect, such as range, torque and value."

"This car symbolizes our commitment to accelerating the adoption of EVs."

The 2012 Coda "is the first all-electric five-passenger, midsize sedan with full rear seating and trunk space [that] meets American drivers' daily transportation needs without an ounce of gasoline," the company boasts.

The sedan can travel up to 125 miles on a single battery charge, according to Coda.

About 65% of the vehicle is produced in China, where Coda has a joint venture with Chinese battery supplier Tianjin Lishen, according to an article on WardsAuto.com.

Coda also has a contract-manufacturing agreement with state-owned Chinese automaker ChangAn Hafei to build the chassis for sedan, while Lishen manufactures the battery.

The company notes that final assembly-including installation of the vehicle's energy-storage system-takes place at its facility in Benicia, Calif., located about 30 miles north of San Francisco.

"With the initial assembly of the glider chassis and lithium-ion battery pack conducted in China, all research and design, marketing and sales are conducted at the company's global headquarters in Los Angeles," the company added in a press release.

Coda CEO Phil Murtaugh told WardsAuto.com that the automaker expects to produce about 14,000 vehicles this year, with half going to consumers and the rest going to fleet customers. Murtaugh also predicted that Coda will establish 45 dealerships in 25 U.S. cities within the year.

Josh Cable | Former Senior Editor

Former Senior Editor Josh Cable covered innovation issues -- including trends and best practices in R&D, process improvement and product development. He also reported on the best practices of the most successful companies and executives in the world of transportation manufacturing, which encompasses the aerospace, automotive, rail and shipbuilding sectors.

Josh also led the IndustryWeek Manufacturing Hall of Fame, IW’s annual tribute to the most influential executives and thought leaders in U.S. manufacturing history.

Before joining IndustryWeek, Josh was the editor-in-chief of Penton Media’s Government Product News and Government Procurement. He also was an award-winning beat reporter for several small newspapers in Northeast Ohio.

Josh received his BFA in creative writing from Bowling Green University, and continued his professional development through course-work at Ohio University and Cuyahoga Community College.

A lifelong resident of the Buckeye State, Josh currently lives in the Tremont neighborhood of Cleveland. When the weather cooperates, you’ll find him riding his bike to work, exercising his green thumb in the backyard or playing ultimate Frisbee.