Coda all-electric car goes on sale in California for $37,250

Consumer Reports News: March 20, 2012 03:38 PM

The all-electric car from Coda Automotive has finally hit the showroom. Or at least, the company has begun showing its Coda electric vehicle to consumers via a mall-based store—similar to an Apple retail outlet—in Century City, Calif. And the good news: Prices for the battery-powered car at Californian Coda dealerships start at $37,250—about $2,650 cheaper than previously reported.

The new Coda EVs are slightly smaller and less powerful than the pre-production $39,900 Coda EV sedan Consumer Reports testers first drove last year.

That version promised a 36-kWh lithium-iron phosphate battery and a claimed driving range of 150 miles between charges. But the down-priced Coda electric sedan features a smaller 31-kWh battery under its floor boards, which has reduced the car's driving range to about 125 miles. Under "real world" driving conditions, the company claims the car will get about 88 miles to a full charge. That's about 15 more miles that the range our engineers have experienced with the 2012 Nissan Leaf, the Coda's chief competitor.

In terms of price, the cheaper Coda EV is also be eligible for green price breaks—such as the $7,500 federal tax credit and other state incentives and rebates—which can further knock down the Coda's cost. Still, the base price puts the fledgling electric car right in the middle of alternatives ranging from the $21,125 Mitsubishi i—an all-electric car that hasn't given our testers a stellar first impression—to the super-pricey ($107,850) Fisker Karma, a gas-electric hybrid that is recovering from various problems—including a break down during Consumer Reports testing.

For more information on EVs, hybrid cars, and other fuel-efficient vehicles, check out Consumer Reports guide to alternative fuels.

Sources:
Coda Automotive dealers sell first all-electric vehicles [Coda press release]

Updated: 3/21/12

—Paul Eng