Cars and Trees

Tesla has already made a name in the electric automobile industry, but there are several others manufacturers that few people have heard about, who are willing to make cars just as fast and as fun as the expensive Tesla Roadster (or the upcoming Model S).

For example, the company called Detroit Electric is a newcomer trying to resurrect a brand of electric car last used 100 years ago, when they were in trend. 

Detroit Electric is partnering with Proton, a Malaysian auto manufacturer, that has already got a mass production system for its gasoline cars. Detroit Electric will use Proton’s production line to make an electric vehicle, and as its CEO Albert Lam says, they’re going to release their electric cars on the market as soon as February 2010 – that’s next year! It’s ahead of Tesla Motor’s model S.

The electric power train will use the proprietary “Pure Electric Magnetic Flux Motor”. Sounds like it’s coming from “Back to the future”? Well, it is, and it’s not. Detroit Electric have already showed their technology on a converted Lotus Elise last year. It was a 150kW electric motor propelling the car from 0 to 62 mph in just 4.3 seconds, 0.3 s faster than the gasoline version. The car’s autonomy was of 325 km and the charging time of 6.5h. Its acceleration is not impressing, being under 8 seconds, but it compares to a regular family sedan (you don’t need to impress your kids with your car’s specs).

Asking about the price? Well, it’s not going to be much more expensive than a Prius, if you want to go 180 km on a charge ($23,000 – 25,000). If you would like more (320km), you’d have to pay between $29,000 and $33,000.