This thing looks like it’s from the future:
Click to expand
Does public relations work on you?
Prolly.
Does it work on me?
Nope.
Posts Tagged ‘ev’
OMG, It’s the FedEx EarthSmart All-Electric Delivery Van on Market Street! Or Should I Say _Marketing_ Street?
Wednesday, August 7th, 2013CODA Automotive, the Company What Builds Crappy Electric Cars in the Bay Area, Has Sold Just 78 Vehicles?
Tuesday, September 4th, 2012Why on earth are we subsidizing the totally crummy CODA Automotive electric car company? It baffles me. What makes it a good company, what makes it worthy? Nothing.
Anyway, here’s the latest, as expected, the first recall notice has come early, before CODA even delivered 100 cars worldwide.
Here’s their “Statement” about the matter:
“CODA Automotive is committed to safety and has voluntarily recalled* 78 of its 2012 CODA model year vehicles within the VIN range of 53G1U4A48CB000026 to 53G1U4A48CB000260. The recall campaign was issued because of the potential that the side curtain airbags in certain vehicles may not deploy as intended due to an improper installation. Certain 2012 model year CODA vehicles may have this condition. There are no known injuries related to this recent discovery. CODA Automotive holds itself to the highest safety standards and continually strives to offer the most reliable product for its consumers.”
Now, I’ll ask you, how many tens of thousands of these vehicles were supposed to have been sold by now? Well, I’ll answer you: SEVERAL! And yet this recall notice shows just how unpopular this product is, even though I can think of at least four huge subsidies the government grants to its owners.
Oh, but what’s this, it’s a non-crappy electric car what’s cheaper than anything from Coda. It’s a Nissan Leaf, which the Coda people have been criticizing for years. Oh well. Anyway, adorable, non?
BTW, 35,000 LEAFs have been sold so far, worldwide.
So, CODA, why don’t you take your assets and try to give them to the govmint to make up for all that you have cost us?
Solyndra shut itself down, so can you!
*This recall is a nothingburger, really. I mean, my giant Toyota doesn’t have side-curtain airbags and nobody’s recalling it, right? The recall notice is important because it gives us a clue to CODA’s abysmal sales….
Apparently, Nobody Wants to Buy the All-Electric CODA Automotive Sedan for $40K – Layoffs at Benicia “Assembly” Plant?
Friday, July 20th, 2012I’ll tell you, the process of taking a very tired gasoline-engined Mitsubishi / Volvo economy car and plopping in a battery and an electric motor isn’t going so hot for CODA Automotive.
Get the updates here.
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Nobody’s buying this car.
Nobody’s releasing sales numbers for this car.
But, here you go, have at it and buy one today – I don’t care.
The “Bay Area-Made” Coda Automotive Electric Car Finally Gets Its Big Review in the New York Times – Uh Oh!
Thursday, July 5th, 2012Well, here it is, from the NYT’s Bradley Berman – it’s the big review of the little POS electric car that’s actually made in China but final-assembled in troubled Benicia, way out there in the eastern part of the North Bay.
Here’s your warning that things aren’t going so hot:
“The company even brought its chief executive from China. Coda hired Philip Murtaugh in 2011, a former top executive at the Chinese operations of General Motors and Chrysler. At the 2011 Los Angeles auto show, Mr. Murtaugh expressed concern over the reception for the car’s styling in the American market. First produced nearly about a decade ago, it gives the impression of a knockoff copy of a Y2K Nissan Sentra or Honda Civic. “The vehicle was chosen three years ago,” he told me. “I came in nine months ago. We couldn’t change it.”
So, the reason why your state-subsidized vehicle sucks is Somebody Else’s Problem?
And then there’s this, the primary selling feature in some of the Coda ads, the large trunk:
“Yes, the trunk is cavernous, but I would gladly give up three inches of trunk depth for more legroom in the back seat.”
(The reason why the trunk is so big is that the Coda Sedan is actually a two-decade-old Mitsubishi Carisma designed for the European market, which, at the time, was in need of a little car with a big-ass trunk. Things didn’t work out, so the factory was shipped to China. I’m srsly.)
OK. Moving on.
To this:
“…difficult to accept the shortcomings of the Coda at its current price, despite its ability to grant 100 miles on a single charge.”
Yep.
Here it is. Actually it looks more like a 1992 Honda Civic 4-door sedan with giant aftermarket wheels, to my eyes:
I’ve been telling you about this venture, this unholy alliance of Goldman Sachs execs (the people who brought us the failed WebVan, srsly, the same exact people), assorted federal government hangers-on (bureaucrats who know nothing about cars, electricity, or batteries or whatever), the People’s Republic of China, and other ne’er-do wells, for years now.
And then when the car comes out and its time for the Big Review from the sainted NYT (which had been pretty positive on this issue of this piece of junk), Coda Automotive gets a thumbs down.
Oh well.
That’s not much to show considering all the government subsidies this company is getting.
(And, mind you, this is after they lowered the MSRP down from the originally-planned $45,000(!), as I and host of others (the so-called haters) have been suggesting for a good long time.)
But at least twenty people in Benicia have jobs at the final assembly plant what are paying In-and-Out level wages….
WebVan 2: Uh, How Many People are Working at CODA Automotive’s NorCal Assembly Plant in Benicia – Is It 20-Something?
Wednesday, April 18th, 2012Ah, let’s check in with Goldman Sachs-backed CODA AUTOMOTIVE.
1. OK, has the Wikipedia entry been scrubbed of any negative information? You, Gentle Reader, make the call. (The context is that the battery capacity and range claims made these past months and years aren’t coming true but there’s no mention of these things in Wiki, oh well. Wiki’s good for Coda though, cause their people can just pop on in and change things to erase history.)
2. Hey, how’s that Music Man act going over in Ohio, Coda? Not good, it seems. Coda, you’re the worst company ever.
3. But now come the long-promised “green jobs” to the North Bay region of the Bay Area. What was the promise, that there’d be 50 to start and 200 soon thereafter? Well, take a look at the help wanted pages, below. A couple-dozen people slapping a direct-from-China battery into a direct-from-China car does not an American car factory make, right people?
Anywho, Gentle Reader, if you want to get up to speed on the crappiest, broken-promisest electric car company in the world, click here and keep reading.
Oh, but what’s this, it’s a non-crappy electric car what’s cheaper than anything from Coda. It’s a Nissan Leaf, which the Coda people have been criticizing for years. Oh well. Anyway, adorable, non?
Oh, back to Coda now.
Here’s your peek into the what’s going on in Benicia.
TTFN.
“Job Description
A full-time position is available, with immediate effect, for a Production Manager.
ABOUT CODA AUTOMOTIVE:
Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, CODA Holdings is a leading developer of advanced Lithium-ion power battery systems comprised of three key divisions: CODA Automotive, CODA EV Propulsion Systems and CODA Energy. Together with its JV partners, CODA is working to reduce dependence on oil and leading the way to a cleaner future through its electric vehicles and stationary energy storage products. With segment leading range, the CODA vehicle is a zero emission four-door, five-passenger sedan with a full-size trunk that is designed to meet American drivers’ daily transportation needs. For more information on the CODA, visit www.codaautomotive.com.
JOB DESCRIPTION: The Production Manager will be located in Benicia, CA. and will manage the final assembly process. The position will be responsible for managing a dynamic repair process that in NOT paced by a conveyor line.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Inventory control – Manage & replenish all planned components and supporting repair parts
• Develop Process Sheets for Assembly Processes and Repair processes
• Communicate and elevate quality issues to China Assembly, Engineering, Supply Chain and the field service organizations
• React quickly to Field Service Customer issues and institute immediate countermeasures
• Oversee the Contract Assembler Financial invoices and verify correct charges
• Proactively work with the Contract Assembler to continuously improve quality, velocity of units through the process and reduce the total costs
• Supervise 2 Salary employees and indirectly manage 20 contract assemblers
• Manage Vehicle inventory and the process flow
• Contribute, Lead and instigate team problem solving at all levels
• Constant training for all team members to ensure assembly and repair proficiency
Challenge Contract assembly company for continuous improvement in Quality, Through-put and Cost reduction.
Desired Skills & Experience
• Bachelors Degree: Technical or Business, preferred
• Automotive Floor leadership experience. required
• Strong leadership skills
• Dynamic and engaging communication style
• Manages ambiguity well – must be able to find a process in an asynchronous flow
• Excellent Problem Solver
• Strong Financial Acumen
• Experienced trainer of teams
• Lean manufacturing and team style of manufacturing processes and culture
TO APPLY:
Please submit your cover letter with salary requirements and resume via our corporate website.
Kindly respect our recruitment process and do not use any other method to apply. Thank you in advance for your attention to this important detail. Only qualified candidates will be contacted for preliminary interviews.
Job Location: Los Angeles, California
Company URL: http://www.CODAautomotive.com
CODA Automotive is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
The policy and practice of CODA Automotive require that entry into employment and progression within employment will be determined only by personal merit and the application of criteria which are related to the duties of each particular job. Subject to statutory provisions, no applicant or member of staff will be treated less favorably than another because of his or her gender, marital or civil partnership status, sexual orientation, religion or belief, racial group, age or disability. In all cases, ability to perform the job will be the primary consideration.
TO ALL RECRUITMENT AGENCIES:
CODA Automotive does not accept agency resumes. Please do not forward resumes to our jobs alias, CODA Automotive employees, or any other company location. CODA Automotive is not responsible for any fees related to unsolicited resumes.
Company Description
Coda Automotive is a manufacturer and distributor of all-electric, zero-emissions cars and battery transportation systems. Formed under the stewardship of entrepreneur Miles Rubin (known for his marketing and sales of neighborhood electric fleet vehicles under the Miles Electric Vehicles brand) in 2009, Coda engineers, brands, markets and distributes electric vehicles. The company’s manufacturing partnership strategy allows Coda to avoid the traditionally capital-intensive nature of the automobile business. Coda Automotive’s first vehicle, highway commuter sedan, is now being delivered to California consumers.”
For the First Time Ever, Chinese Made Cars are On Sale in America – But Oh, the CODA Sedan is a Big POS – Correcting the SF Chronicle
Wednesday, March 14th, 2012The writer of this article seems to have learned about the crappy CODA company solely from one press conference put on by said crappy CODA company. Is that how journalists roll these days?
Off we go:
“The latest entrant in California’s increasingly crowded market for electric cars is a small, unassuming sedan that rolled off an assembly line in Benicia on Monday morning.”
YEAH, I’SPOSE. OF COURSE “UNASSUMING” IS CODE TELLING US THE CODA SEDAN IS A POS, WHICH IT IS. BUT “ASSEMBLY LINE?” SORRY, NO. IF YOU WANT TO CALL IT A “FINAL ASSEMBLY” LINE, WELL, THAT MIGHT BE O.K., BUT THE REAL ASSEMBLY LINE FOR THE CODA SEDAN IS IN CHINA. YOU SEE, ACTUAL ASSEMBLY LINES HAVE STUFF INSIDE OF THEM. YOU CAN’T CALL AN UNSKILLED WORKER FROM BENICIA PUTTING A CHINESE BATTERY INTO A CHINESE CAR “ASSEMBLY.” SORRY. MINUS ONE FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE.
THIS AMPARTS BUILDING IN THE NORTH BAY IS EXACTLY WHAT AN ASSEMBLY LINE _DOESN’T_ LOOK LIKE:
The Coda sedan, the first car from a Southern California startup, seats five, can drive up to 125 miles on a charge and has taken two years longer to reach the market than its makers initially planned.
UH, THE EPA SAYS 88 MILES FOR THE RANGE. SORRY. MINUS TWO FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE. WHAT JOURNALIST WOULD PREFER TO USE A MADE-UP, INFLATED RANGE NUMBER FROM A SACK OF SHIT EX GOLDMAN SACHS EXECUTIVE (WHO MADE HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS FROM BS INVESTMENTS SUCH AS WEBVAN AND SUCH?) OVER THE FRESH NEWS COMING OUT OF THE EPA?
Designed in Southern California, the Coda sedan is largely built in China, with final assembly taking place in Benicia.
NOW YOU’RE ON THE TROLLEY! FINALLY WE AGREE ON SOMETHING. EXCEPT THIS CAR WAS DESIGNED IN EUROPE ABOUT TWO DECADES AGO, AND IN CHINA MORE RECENTLY.
The engine comes from a company in Colorado.
THE “ENGINE?“ UH, CODA SEDANS DON’T ACTUALLY HAVE ENGINES. THAT’S KIND OF THE POINT. IF YOU MEAN “MOTOR,” THEN SAY MOTOR. MINUS THREE FOR THE SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE.
“You can pretty much count on a good, honest 90 to 110 miles, depending on the way you drive,” O’Dell said.
GOOD? HONEST? THERE’S NOTHING GOOD OR HONEST ABOUT CODA.
“There’s nothing wrong with the car. It’s just that considering the cars in the market today, there’s nothing exciting about it.”
NO, IT’S A BIG POS. CHECK OUT THE COMMENTS HERE. PEOPLE ARE TRYING TO FIGURE OUT WHY ADVERTISED BATTERY CAPACITY WENT DOWN WITHOUT CODA MENTIONING ANYTHING ABOUT IT. PEOPLE ARE WONDERING WHY THE CODA SEDAN IS SO INEFFICIENT, SO POORLY DESIGNED.
It is, however, exciting to Benicia officials. Coda in 2010 reached a deal with a company called Amports, one of North America’s largest auto processors, to perform final assembly for the Coda sedan, and Amports already had a facility in Benicia. The city has easy access to the Port of Oakland, where the partially assembled Coda sedans are shipped from China.
HOW MANY PERSON-YEARS OF JOBS WILL CODA PAY FOR IN BENICIA? 100? 200?
The city, home to one of the Bay Area’s major oil refineries, has been trying to attract green businesses and jobs, said Mayor Elizabeth Patterson. Only 20 people work at the Amports facility now, she said, but that number could expand to 200 by the end of the year.
SURE. AND THE RANGE OF YOUR CODA SEDAN COULD EXPAND TO 200 MILES BY THE END OF THE YEAR. SURE. MAYBE. OH, BUT IRL, CODA WILL NEVER EMPLOY 200 PEOPLE IN BENICIA, CA. SORRY.
All right, that’s it for the Chronicle. Now, here’s a realistic assessment:
“As an unknown brand with an unproven car with a dull design, Coda faces more than its share of challenges in the emerging electric car marketplace. Unfortunately, the low and confusing numbers from the EPA don’t make life any easier for Coda, or for that matter, the entire growing field of EVs.”
EPA Issues Ratings for Electric CODA Sedan (That’s Assembled in Benicia from Chinese Parts): Uh Oh, Bad News :(
Friday, March 9th, 2012So the range of the 2013 2012 (they’ve had issues, certainly) CODA Automotive Sedan turns out to be 88 miles.
O.K.
But how efficient is it compared to a modern car, I don’t know, maybe something like the Nissan Leaf?
The first stat here is for MPGe – the Leaf does about 35% better on that score. And the second stat is for kilowatt-hours/100 miles – the lower the better on this one, so of course the CODA Sedan is higher.
Now the people at CODA have been trying to get the cost down from $45k for a while now so the Sedan is coming out with a lower price, but both varieties of Coda’s cars are still more expensive than a thoroughly modern vehicle from a manufacturer what knows what it’s doing like, I don’t know, the Leaf and Nissan?
CODA Automotive is like WebVan and Solyndra combined.
Oh well.
News Flash: San Francisco Costco Electric Charging Station Actually Used by Somebody
Monday, January 30th, 2012I’ve been waiting years to see this:
Hurray!
EVLOVE: Driver of Car With a Gasoline-Powered Engine Hearts Electric Vehicles, Go Figure
Tuesday, December 27th, 2011See?
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CODA Automotive, That POS Electric Car Co. With a Bay Area “Assembly Plant,” Surrenders – Lowers Chinese Sedan Price $5k
Thursday, November 17th, 2011Well the big news yesterday from CODA Automotive was that they lowered the price for their old-fashioned Chinese electric car, you know, the one that they’re going to “assemble” in Benicia, and, you know, the one that was originally going to be delivered to California buyers by, pick one, the end of:
2008 - whoops missed that one!
2009 - whoops missed that one!
2010 - whoops missed that one!
the second quarter of 2011 - whoops missed that one!
2011 - whoops missed that one! [Apparently. It looks like they'll blow this latest promise as well. It's not clear at this point.]
You want some history, brother? Well click here and keep scrolling, it goes on and on.
Ah memories, ah promises broken:
What I’m saying is that even by the low standards of the electric car industry, the CODA Sedan concept, that idea of taking a gas-engined vehicle (the quite unpopular Mistubishi/NedCar Carisma/Lancer) that was engineered by Mitsubishi and Volvo in the pre-Internet era and making it as an electric car in China, is exceptional for the number of liars who have been connected with it.
Anyway, this POS electric car, which is inferior to the Nissan Leaf, is now “only” $41K. Hurray, I guess, but the Nissan is still substantially cheaper.
The CODA’s are coming, the CODA’s are finally coming! Here’s the production line for the drivetrain-free, battery-free “gliders:”
(You know what’s sad? The average college student in China has no idea what this photo of the T54 tanks is all about.)
But let’s get the latest from a CODA Electric booster in the media, let’s read along here. I’ll tell you, I’m intrigued by this opener:
“It’s frumpy, expensive (starting at $39,900 before rebates compared to the $35,200 Nissan Leaf), and doesn’t have a big name attached to it. [Yes, yes!]
And yet, it might just be a hit when it’s released early next year. [Say what now?!]“
All right, I’ll now read the article. (Please wait for me to finish.)
[Oh the Nissan LEAF sucks, apparently, well they've been saying that for a looooooong time now, so this isn't new at all, "We have a 50% larger battery pack than anyone else in the EV space," well that's horseshit since the Tesla Roadster has a higher capacity battery, "the Coda sedan may get a 110 mile range certification" well good luck on that one, you'd think they'd have an actual rating by now since this car was merely weeks from delivery more than a year ago, "he believes that Coda can sell 10,000 EVs" well that's news to me since the recent predictions from CODA have been in the 20K per year territory, uh sorry, the charger is not a "Godsend," "buyers may flock to the CODA" uh no, that's not going to happen, no sir, "Photos of Coda Automotive plant" uh, no, there are no Chinese people in those shots - the CODA plant is in China, that's where they make the fucking car, don't you know that, writer? And where they make the battery pack as well, of course, Gentle Reader, the final assembly plant in California is window-dressing, for the most part, oh let's see here, Control F, searching for China or Chinese and that comes up goose-eggs. Does the writer know where this car and its battery are made? Perhaps not, can't tell, maybe he knows but just doesn't want to share that with you, cause, well, you know...]
Well that was a waste of time, but it seems like, at long last, CODA Automotive is getting real, or at least more real, actually acknowledging reality, at times.
(“Our pig has a higher quality lipstick than our competitor’s (just say it, Nissan’s, cause that’s who you’re talking about, right, CODA?) pig.” ”Our pig has has larger ears than our competitor’s, for our customers who prefer larger ears.” Yadayadayada…)
Leave there be no doubt, the CODA Sedan is the biggest POS electric car concept to come down the pike since, I don’t know, a century ago during the first electric car boom. That’s true at a $46k price level and it’s true at a $41k price level.
Sorry.
What they should have done is to price it lower than the Nissan Leaf, which, of course, is a better car, primarily owing to the fact that it didn’t start off life as a POS Mitsubishi with a big-ass trunk and a small-ass back seat waaaaay back in 1994, and you know, also to the fact that Nissan, a real car company, spent a lot moooooooore money during development.
So, keep it up CODA, keep on bad-mouthing the Nissan, even though your stated Mission Statement is to increase sales of all electric cars.
And check it, you’re getting worse coverage now in the MSM, even though you just upped the battery capacity and lowered the price:
Bill Visnic, senior editor of Edmunds.com, said in an e-mail that the price cut “may or not improve the prospects for this earnest second-tier player* in the nascent electric car market.”
And Sam Jaffe, an analyst with IDC Energy Insights, said in a telephone interview that Coda’s long-term prospects** were also an issue.
“In the end, people will weigh the value of a 10-year Coda warranty against Nissan’s warranty,” he said. “Coda doesn’t have a long history of backing up warranties, so it’s a harder sell.**”
“There is space in the emerging plug-in vehicle market for both company’s products, but Coda has a steeper hill to climb than Nissan** does,” Mr. Jaffe added.
So, yes, CODA, that other girl sucks and you’re all that. Whatever you say [you big POS car company.]
Presenting the Nissan LEAF. Adorable, huh?
Don’t listen to those playa haters at CODA, Leaf.
*Oh, snap!
**Again!