- Title: LITHUANIA: Lithuanian firm takes charge of local electric car market
- Date: 23rd October 2012
- Summary: SIAULIAI, LITHUANIA (OCTOBER18 , 2012) (REUTERS) GENERAL MANAGER OF PB GROUP, DONATAS SKULSKIS, WALKING TO CAR, REMOVING SOCKET AND SITTING DOWN IN ELECTRON TWINGO SKULSKIS STARTING IGNITION ELECTRIC CHARGE INDICATOR ON DASHBOARD TWO ELECTRON TWINGOS DRIVING OUT OF GARAGE (SOUNDBITE) (Lithuanian) GENERAL MANAGER OF PB GROUP, DONATAS SKULSKIS, SAYING: "Modern electric cars are still very expensive; they are almost non purchasable for Lithuanians. So we decided to put an electric engine into a Renault Twingo and sell it to Lithuanian consumers at an attractive price." VARIOUS OF ELECTRON TWINGO INSIDE GARAGE VARIOUS OF ELECTRIC BATTERIES UNDER TWINGO BONNET TWINGO DOOR (SOUNDBITE) (Lithuanian) GENERAL MANAGER OF PB GROUP, DONATAS SKULSKIS, SAYING: "We plan to manufacture about 20 cars per month. In Lithuania they will sell for 7000 euros (before tax). At the time being we plan to sell them only in this country." VARIOUS OF ELECTRON TWINGO IN GARAGE AND ELECTRON LOGO TWO ELECTRIC CARS DRIVING ON THE STREET VARIOUS OF SKULSKIS DRIVING DASHBOARD SCREEN SHOWING TRAVELLING SPEED VARIOUS OF ELECTRON TWINGOS DRIVING THROUGH STREETS
- Embargoed: 7th November 2012 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Lithuania
- Country: Lithuania
- Topics: Business,Environment,Science / Technology,Transport
- Reuters ID: LVAHAO390VOIVROXWK8PGZZQSKU
- Story Text: The electric car industry is yet to take hold in Lithuania, a small former Eastern bloc country with a population of under three million. Classified last year by the European Union's statistics office Eurostat as one of the continent's poorest countries, with more than 95 percent of its 160,000 vehicles bought second hand, it's not surprising that Lithuania hasn't yet been targeted by electric vehicle manufacturers.
The country only has one charging station, located in Kaunas, which opened in 2011, although the Lithuanian government has ambitious plans to build a national charging station network in major cities by 2015.
Yet while the government continues to commission feasibility studies, one enterprising business in the city of Siauliai has decided to exploit the gap in the market. PB Group have bought a fleet of 2002 model Renault Twingo petrol-fuelled cars and begun transforming them into electric models.
In addition to replacing the engine with an electric version, they add an anti-corrosive base and re-spray the exterior. Ripping out each vehicle's fuel tank, they replace it with a battery system using parts from various manufacturers. A new electric engine, controller, automatic transmission, and charger are also added. The car's original body, chassis, clutch, and gearbox remain.
PB's general manager, Donatas Skulskis, says the new models are considerably lighter than the original models, since the new parts weight less than those they replaced.
Skulskis believes PB's renamed Electron Twingo will prove popular among cash-strapped Lithuanians. "Modern electric cars are still very expensive; they are almost non purchasable for Lithuanians. So we decided to put an electric engine into a Renault Twingo and sell it to Lithuanian consumers at an attractive price," he said.
"We plan to manufacture about 20 cars per month. In Lithuania they will sell for 7000 euros (before tax). At the time being we plan to sell them only in this country," Skulskis added. Although the price sounds competitive, a spokesman for Renault UK argued that a brand new Renault Zoe electric vehicle costing 16,750 provides better value.
The Electron Twingo has a 20 kW engine and, according to Skulskis, can reach 100 kilometres per hour. It has electronic power steering and electronic brake booster. The batteries weigh around 300 kilograms and can be recharged 1200 times. Skulskis says the vehicle can be charged in a matter of hours from a simple electric socket and can travel between 80 and 100 kilometres on a single charge at a cost of just 4-5 Litas (1.5-1.89 USD).
PB has invested 250,000 litas (95,000 USD) over three years in the project and says it is ready to begin production shortly. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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