Detroit Electric Signs Deal to Produce Electric Cars in China
Wuhan, China, June 19 - Detroit Electric Holdings Ltd and Donfeng Motor Company announced today that the two companies will work together to research, develop, market and sell Pure Electric Vehicles (PEVs) in China using Detroit Electric’s advanced electric drive technology.
The agreement will allow Donfeng Motors to test and validate Detroit Electric’s electric drive train technology in order to produce and market Donfeng’s PEVs. The parties are also discussing the possibility of forming a joint venture company, which would manufacture, assemble, produce and supply Detroit Electric’s technology to Donfeng and other auto manufacturers.
“This validation process is a major proof point for the technical leadership and commercial readiness of our electric motor drive technology,” said Albert Lam, Detroit Electric’s Chairman and CEO.
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“We are excited at the opportunity to partner with yet another world-class automaker in order to accelerate the wide adoption of Detroit Electric’s electric drive technology and propel the PEV industry forward,” Lam continued.
This agreement with Donfeng follows closely behind a contract with Proton on March 30. These agreements put Detroit Electric on the competitive track to create a full line of innovative, practical and affordable PEVs to the global market by providing the company with its first manufacturing base and vehicle platforms.
“This cooperation with Donfeng allows us to work closely with a strong partner in China to explore various ways to enter the world’s largest vehicle market,” said Lam, who aims at selling 45,000 vehicles across Europe, the United States and Asia by next year; and increasing that number to 270,000 by 2012. Detroit Electric’s products range from high performance sports cars to stylish sedans capable of driving over 200 miles in a single charge.
China has become one of the key players in the EV race, offering financial and other incentives to encourage the adoption of zero emission vehicles. China’s commitment to alternative, clean vehicles and its role in the EV market make it fertile soil for Detroit Electric to grow over the next five years.
Photo Credit: Detroit Electric
Is it really necessary to introduce yet another acronym (PEV) for electric vehicles? I think the bases are well covered with BEV (battery electric vehicle) and EV (electric vehicle). Sticking the word “pure” in front of “electric vehicle” really serves no point, aside from serving some marketers ego.
I think the “P” in PEV stands for “plugin” electric vehicle. And that EV stands for a whole class of vehicles that solely use electricity to turn the wheels.
ER-EV, PEV, NEV, BEV and then all those PHEVs that parallel hybrids that can drive electric slowly for short distances. I don’t know an EV without a battery but it certainly is possible to use a reciprocating or turbine engine to power a generator and use it directly on the wheels as they do for trains.
They have patents on their new motor design .
Sounds interesting the way the corp. describes it but:
it uses permanent magnets .
There are potential problems with those :
1) When overheated they stop working .
2) The raw materials are in short supply.
3) The raw materials are mostly sourced out of
China which would amount to a near monopoly .
So unless those issues have been addressed
I’ll pass .
Dongfeng is the same major Chinese automaker that is producing vehicles later this year that run on a mixture of 65 percent ethanol and 35 percent water. This is converted to hydrogen onboard the engine, using a simple reformer. What might come next from a joint venture between Detroit Electric and Dongfeng, is a range extender engine for the EV, powered by 100 percent domestic ethanol-water fuel. This would be a fast track to eliminating imported foreign oil.
Detroit Electric pretty much equals ZAP, who already makes what many believe to be the most shoddy EVs on the market in the US…
Let the buyer beware!