Electric C30
We just got back from Detroit, our first auto show of 2010. Boy was it cold, wet, damp and gray. Last year, manufactures were talking about new products and bright futures. Seems the tone is down a bit this year. Chrysler and GM were there, but the grandness of their displays was not typical for this show. Not that I’m slanting towards Ford, just that they seemed to be the most consistent over last four or five years with their display. It’s fresh, not in your face and very clean. Not cluttered. I’ll post more about cool cars and weird displays next time.
For us, around mid-summer 2009, we had no plans for Detroit. At the same time, we started talking about what’s happening with our first fleet test of electric cars. In 2010, fourth quarter, we will start building about 50 cars for Swedish testing. Prior to test fleet production we needed to build some production-like C30’s to crash test and make certain what we build is up to our standards. Then came an opportunity to do a joint press event with EnerDel, our U.S. battery supplier that would focus on how the battery business works. We were invited to co-share the event and to bring one of our C30′s. After it’s shown at the Chicago Auto Show in February, it’ll fly back home to meet it’s maker at 35 mph in our crash center.
Kind regards,
dan
2 Comments
Great yob, Dan, and thanks to Mr. Stegland for a very illuminating interview. I hope that Volvo chooses to bring one of the prototypes to NYIAS, too… but I have a distinct feeling that this particular one will be in small pieces come the end of March. An electric C30 would certainly cover my commute, as it would most of my coworkers’ and family members’.
It’ll be in Chicago, for their show then, yes, back to Sweden for one last demo ride. I was at EnerDel last week, amazing how EV batteries are made. I need to get through some stuff this week but hope to post bunch of video and cool charts as soon as possible. We will start limited test production this fall and small scale telemetric field testing starting next winter, in Sweden.
dan