Promoting CODA's Electric Car
Apparently, I’m the only one who sees the humor in the advertisement that CODA Automotive has been running these last few months:
The New, All-Electric CODA — The Only EV with a Real Trunk!
Every time I see it, I think: After the $5K drop in price from $45K, you get the privilege of paying $40K (less incentives) to buy a cheaply-made, unattractive, and inconvenient car (you plug it in and worry about range) from a company that has a miniscule chance of being in business long enough to honor its warranty. But at least it has a real trunk; there’s the deal-cincher.
I find it funny that someone thinks this is effective marketing. Again, I know not everyone shares my sense of humor.
Craig,
I agree, the Coda is a failure from it’s inception.
Which is odd, because I would have thought that the diverse backgrounds, (and often eccentric personalities) of the investors and directors, would have produced a more imaginatively stylish and competitive vehicle.
The Coda is just an EV conversion of an ICE model produced by obscure PRC car maker, Harbin HF Automobile Industry Group Co Ltd (Hafei). .Since 2009, Hafei has been a division of Chang’an Motors. (although a Hafei subsidiary, is still traded on the Shanghai exchange).
The complex nature of the web of companies owning the group, may be the result of diverting attention from the true parent, The Peoples Republic of China Weaponry Equipment Corporation.
This Corporation is owned by the a section of the Communist Party that operates ‘special Secret State Security assets’. (including an Industrial Espionage School, located at a PLA base, sort of a cross between the Harvard School of Business and CIA Operative Training Centre).
Coda also has a JVC with the successful Lithium Battery producer, Tianjin Lishen. Lishen has an even more complex shareholding, but is basically controlled by China National Offshore Oil Corporation.(CNOOC).
CNOOC is a State owned enterprise, whose ethical history would make Exxon and the CIA look like boy scouts! CNOOC, has been involved in everything from heroin dealing, to human rights abuses on a world scale.
Senior Directors are usually also senior Communist Party Commissars. Mostly elite graduates of secret ‘security’ training schools.
Equally fascinating are the backgrounds of Coda’s US directors, Ranging from corporate raider, (and early EV pioneer) Miles Rubin, to disgraced former BP Oil company boss, , Lord John Browne.
Names such as Steven “Mac” Heller, will be remembered for being head of Goldman Sachs Head of Mergers & Acquisitions, Worldwide and Investment Banking Division, during the GFC. “Mac” seemed to survive better than millions of his fellow investors! (Executive Chairman, CODA Automotive)
Hedge fund investors, shady financiers, Coda has attracted all sorts. For a small alternate technology start up, Coda has certainly attracted a disproportionate group of heavyweight financial identities.
Recently, Coda announced a JVC with Great Wall Motors of China. Great Wall was recently caught exporting vehicles using asbestos, and relabeling packaging to disguise the asbestos content.
Coda, was refused a DOE loan.
Thanks; you’re right, of course. CODA buyers, if there are any, are enriching Chinese weapons dealers. Another real deal-cincher for the car-buyer trying to do the right thing. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen anything more preposterous.
From the “Craig’s sense of humor” file: Maybe the trunk is large enough to hold the woman found in the Spectrum bath…
But, seriously, I would love to know what’s behind Fisker. As you’re aware, that company took millions of US and Delaware taxpayer funds and then skipped to Finland. Do you know any inside facts about that? Now, then, (as “Doc” Owrid used to say) I would LOVE an electric car with AT LEAST a 400-mile range at 70mph that could recharge fully in less than an hour at an electricity cost of less than $25 and would cost less than $40k to buy. It would have to have a trunk, too. Does this sound unreasonable or outlandish? It doesn’t to me…when the MARKET demands such a car, industry WILL deliver it. Some brilliant, eccentric tinkerer somewhere in America will find the answer, not a DOE bureaucrat.
Re: Fisker, a more complete and fair treatment can be found here: http://www.factcheck.org/2012/05/stimulus-money-for-jobs-overseas/.
@ Duke Brooks
“Some brilliant, eccentric tinkerer somewhere in America will find the answer, not a DOE bureaucrat”.
Well, he might, but he would have to leave the US to see his idea commercialized!
The US auto-industry is once again becoming innovative and competitive, thanks in no small part to the industrial restructure financed by Bush/Obama administrations.
Although extreme armchair economists love to distort the nature of this financial assistance, these DOE loans are, in fact, loans ! Like all loans, this financial assistance must be repaid!
Nothing odd, evil or sinister about that. Almost every government in the world (even the Swiss) advance loan guarantees to industry from time to time.
Not all loans succeed. But, nor do all private bank loans! The DOE should be congratulated ! The DOE’s batting average is considerably better than most of it’s commercial counterparts. The rate of return on the DOE investments for stated objectives,would be impressive to the shareholders of any private enterprise bank !
The US government has a constitutional mandate to manage the US economy. It can invest, spend or distribute funds on the taxpayers behalf in accordance to it’s mandate. It’s policies are subject to review at election time.
The concept that a government has no role in the economic structure of a modern state, is just plain silly. Even if such an ideology were possible, following such economic policies would quickly reduce the US to the status of a ‘banana republic’!