by "Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
Published 03/20/2017 at 20:16
by "Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
Published 03/20/2017 at 20:16
Tags: Cars of LA
; CoLA
; car spotting
STARS: 8
Today on Cars of LA: Before Tesla’s Model 3, there was an ill-fated attempt at an affordable electric car: The Coda.
With a price of $37,250 before tax credits (which brought the price down to around $30k), The Coda was based on an existing Chinese car, the Hafei Saibao III compact sedan.
The 31 kWh Lithium Ion Iron Phosphate battery gave the little city car a range of about 88 miles, enough for commuting and grocery-getting.
I test drove one of these back when they were marketing them, and it felt and looked like a cheap little car. At around $30k after tax rebates, I found the car to be overpriced. $15k would have seemed more reasonable to me, and it seemes the market agreed because the company filed for bankruptcy in May 2013.
Only 117 cars were ever delivered - all in California- with the remaining cars and shells liquidated at a massive discount.
Fun fact: what does this little econo electric have in common with a Ferrari Testarossa? They were both designed by Pininfarina. True story, bro.
"MarquetteLa" (marquettela)
03/20/2017 at 20:34, STARS: 2
I see one of these nearly every day on my commute to work in Boulder, Colorado. I’m so happy someone else stumbled across one.
I’ve tried to run the license plates on both the Colorado Coda I see and the California Coda pictured here through VINwiki but it can’t find registration info on either of them.
"ranwhenparked" (ranwhenparked)
03/20/2017 at 20:35, STARS: 1
I believe these were one of three different attempts to bring Chinese cars to the US in electric form that all started around the same time. I always found it odd that the Saibao was chosen as the basis, since, although it was better than average as far as Chinese cars were concerned, it wasn’t exactly the best available. It was already like 6 years old at the time Miles (as Coda was originally called) got involved with it, and wasn’t class leading when new.
My guess was that Haifei were the only ones that answered the phone or returned messages when Miles called.
"and 100 more" (nth256)
03/20/2017 at 20:39, STARS: 1
The Hafei Saibao on which the Coda is based was supposedly built on the early 90s Mitsubishi Lancer platform, used under license.
"daender" (daender)
03/20/2017 at 20:44, STARS: 1
...So could someone fit an Evo VI drivetrain under it, assuming the transmission tunnel is still there?
"Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
03/20/2017 at 21:42, STARS: 0
hmmm, after the bankruptcy any leftover “gliders” (complete cars except for batteries and motors) were sold for $7500. Not sure why you would want to, except for weirdo bragging rights at the local car meets.
"daender" (daender)
03/20/2017 at 21:43, STARS: 2
Troll drag racers or corner carvers.
"Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
03/20/2017 at 21:46, STARS: 1
Yeah, I stumbled across this taking a walk break from work earlier. This is my first confirmed sighting in a while, but they’re so inconspicuous it’s hard to spot them here in L.A.
I’m curious how it is to live with them, and who services them (for non-routine items).
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
03/20/2017 at 21:46, STARS: 0
Big fan of electric cars here but ... cost to keep it on the road? Take it to a Mitsubishi dealer - you’re still on your own. Geeze, spend less on a Nissan Leaf. In my humble opinion, of course.
"Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
03/20/2017 at 21:47, STARS: 0
Yes, that is always the correct answer.
"Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
03/20/2017 at 21:49, STARS: 0
Oh yeah, I agree. I see Fiskers around L.A. often and wonder how they keep them running, but this thing is an unloved unicorn.
I feel similarly about the Toyota Mirai, which I see around L.A. Why would someone pull the trigger on one?
"and 100 more" (nth256)
03/20/2017 at 21:56, STARS: 0
I mean, it depends on how close Hafei stuck to the platform dimensions, but theoretically it could be a direct fit.
"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
03/20/2017 at 23:04, STARS: 1
Yeah I saw one in Marin here, wasn’t sure what the hell it was. Leaf seems better. Tins of Leaves coming off lease, there are like eight at a lot near here. I see two Fiskars regularly here. One is owned by a guy with a collection, friend of the family, he has a Ferrari 250 GTO as well.... Put a charging station at his car collection building out front. It’s just down the street from San Quentin prison and the Larkspur Ferry Terminal. Might see it on Google maps. There is also a cool life size bronze 50s F1 car next to it.
"Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
03/21/2017 at 03:09, STARS: 0
Well, hey - the Coda comes in a color other than silver?
At least the Fisker has good looks going for it, but this little Coda is just... forgettable. If a Nissan Leaf is too outrageous for you, and the Prius is too wild, then a Coda is the way to go.
that Tom Price fella sounds like he *might* be a car guy.
"415s30 W123TSXWaggoIIIIIIo ( •_•))°)" (415s30)
03/21/2017 at 03:14, STARS: 0
Now in grey! Yeah Tom has been known to like a car. Look him up and see google images. You will find some cars.
"pip bip - choose Corrour" (hhgttg69)
03/21/2017 at 03:22, STARS: 0
parts supply won’t be easy i’m guessing
"Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
03/21/2017 at 03:22, STARS: 0
Yeah, but has he ever owned a Civic with nitrous?
"Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
03/21/2017 at 03:31, STARS: 1
I would Mad Max the hell out of it.
"CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)" (ccpbb)
03/21/2017 at 06:20, STARS: 0
Met the initial guy who bought the 100+ cars that were unsold when Coda tanked. Nice car, and they even had this model (not approved for public road use) that had a larger battery pack. There’s even a Coda in Mexico that is apparently running some serious mods under the hood (I recall maybe an engine swap?)
These are on a Mitsubishi chassis.....I would gut the electrics, put on some coilovers, and swap in a nice Evo motor.
"Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
03/21/2017 at 13:49, STARS: 0
Why stop at semi-sane? I’d gut the rear seats and put a V8 back there, ala Hemi Under Glass. Then troll everyone.
(and I don’t know if I’d call the car ‘nice.’ If I recall, ‘adequate’ seemed more appropriate.)
"Steve in Manhattan" (blogenfreude01)
03/21/2017 at 14:40, STARS: 0
Seen exactly one here.
"CCC (formerly CyclistCarCoexist)" (ccpbb)
03/21/2017 at 15:37, STARS: 0
Well, adequate is one word, but geniuses would be what I would be calling the folks who managed to get a “late 1990s Mitsubishi Lancer” platform to pass 2012-spec crash test standards.
"Vee Ate Injun" (VeeAteInjun)
03/21/2017 at 17:55, STARS: 0
Good point.