- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Country unveils prototype for electric car
- Date: 11th August 2010
- Summary: CAPE TOWN, SOUTH AFRICA (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MAN PLUGGING IN CABLES TO CHARGE ELECTRIC CAR VARIOUS OF WRITING ON CAR READING "ELECTRIC" VARIOUS OF LICENCE PLATE READING "JOULE" OPTIMAL ENERGY CEO KOBUS MEIRING GETTING INTO ELECTRIC CAR ILLUMINATED DASH BOARD OF CAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) OPTIMAL ENERGY CEO KOBUS MEIRING, SAYING: "You select forward, you press an accelerator and it goes. It's completely quiet, you wanna stop, you lift your foot off the accelerator, it goes into regen [regenerate] mode, you very, very seldom, have to use a brake. It's probably the easiest thing around to drive and I think a few years from now people will say, 'I can't believe I ever had to use a car with a clutch and gears and stuff like that'. Because this is just so simple and on top of all of this, it's completely quiet." VARIOUS OF CAR'S ELECTRIC MOTOR SHOWING CABLES AND TERMINALS (SOUNDBITE) (English) OPTIMAL ENERGY CEO KOBUS MEIRING, SAYING: "This is the first time ever that we're starting a real OEM [Original Equipment Manufacturer] in South Africa with the idea of addressing the mass market. Not making kid cars and not making a small niche product, but saying this is a product that we are tackling the mass market with, the mainstream market, and that is for global export." DETAIL OF CAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) OPTIMAL ENERGY CEO KOBUS MEIRING, SAYING: "Electric cars are going to make up a very significant part of the world fleet or the world car market in a fairly short time. So I think electric cars can make a very serious contribution to reducing your overall carbon footprint." MORE OF ELECTRIC CAR (SOUNDBITE) (English) OPTIMAL ENERGY CEO KOBUS MEIRING, SAYING: "And it's going to become such a common place thing to see that I don't think people will ever pay it any attention. Except they will maybe be jealous of the person that's fortunate enough to drive one of these in the sort of comfort and quietness that comes with this. But it's certainly the way of the future."
- Embargoed: 26th August 2010 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Environment / Natural World,Industry
- Reuters ID: LVA7HHY357PPMCGX8Z6BKXADSICA
- Story Text: A South Africa company recently unveiled the prototype for Africa's first electric car, which has been wholly developed and manufactured locally.
The Joule, manufactured by Optimal Energy, an electric car manufacturer, was recently featured at a motor show in Cape Town, South Africa where buyers and car enthusiasts could view it and meet engineers.
Unlike conventional cars, the Joule runs on an electrically powered battery.
Optimal Energy's CEO Kobus Meiring says it is also much easier to drive.
"You select forward, you press an accelerator and it goes. It's completely quiet, you wanna stop, you lift your foot off the accelerator, it goes into regen [regenerate] mode, you very, very seldom, have to use a brake. It's probably the easiest thing around to drive and I think a few years from now people will say, 'I can't believe I ever had to use a car with a clutch and gears and stuff like that'. Because this is just so simple and on top of all of this, it's completely quiet," he said.
Plans to mass produce the Joule are underway and the finished models are expected to hit the road by 2013.
Although the car is aimed at establishing a local market for electric cars, Meiring said 90 percent will be exported to the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries immediately, aiming to enter the C-segment of the market.
This segment includes cars in the 235,000 to 280,000 rand (32,000 - 38,000 U.S. dollars) price range.
"This is the first time ever that we're starting a real OEM [Original Equipment Manufacturer] in South Africa with the idea of addressing the mass market. Not making kid cars and not making a small niche product, but saying this is a product that we are tackling the mass market with, the mainstream market, and that is for global export," Meiring said.
The project is being funded partly by the Industrial Development Corporation and South Africa's Department of Trade and Industry.
But manufacturing the car has met some challenges and the launch has been delayed by funding woes.
With pressure from environmentalists to reduce on carbon emissions to slow down the escalation of global warming, Meiring thinks an electric car will find a wide market in South Africa and internationally.
South Africa declared its intention to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent by 2020 and 42 percent by 2025 at the Copenhagen Accord.
"Electric cars are going to make up a very significant part of the world fleet or the world car market in a fairly short time. So I think electric cars can make a very serious contribution to reducing your overall carbon footprint," Meiring said. "And it's going to become such a common place thing to see that I don't think people will ever pay it any attention. Except they will maybe be jealous of the person that's fortunate enough to drive one of these in the sort of comfort and quietness that comes with this. But it's certainly the way of the future."
Meiring said Optimal Energy will employ more than 2,000 people in its assembly operation for the Joule, while supplier and support activities could create a further 8,000 jobs. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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