Filed under: EV/Plug-in, Africa, Paris Motor Show
Paris Preview: South African Joule electric MPV to debut
The first images of the Joule from Optimal Energy have now turned up on the interwebs. The Joule will be officially unveiled this week in Paris at the Motor Show. The six-seat hatchback stores energy in a lithium ion battery pack that can nominally propel it for about 120 miles. A second pack can be added that doubles the range. The plan is to eventually offer packs from a number of suppliers with different characteristics. This would allow drivers to opt for longer range or more performance. South Africa-based Optimal Energy is still looking for a site for its factory and the city of Gauteng is said to be in the lead. The car is expected to be available toward the end of 2010. Thanks to Matt for the tip![Source: CarToday]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Woodenbee 1:59PM (10/01/2008)
That's a neat looking car, now if we can just get wall street to be regulated to invest some money in actual products and technologies instead of the paper chasing madness they have done for the last eight years we could all be driving things like this in 2010, of course we'll need to update the crash safety standards and all that, we'll need some real people in power working for the public good instead of these war mongering fatcats that have run the country and the govt into the ground
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Woodenbee 2:00PM (10/01/2008)
That's a neat looking car, now if we can just get wall street to be regulated to invest some money in actual products and technologies instead of the paper chasing madness they have done for the last eight years we could all be driving things like this in 2010, of course we'll need to update the crash safety standards and all that, we'll need some real people in power working for the public good instead of these war mongering fatcats that have run the country and the govt into the ground
Reply
BoneHeadOtto 2:39PM (10/01/2008)
I like the looks of that car. I could see a next gen Scion looking like that. Id buy one even if it wasnt electric. Just give me a decent handling economy car with a manual that looks like that.
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paulwesterberg 6:22PM (10/01/2008)
great economy, designed to be produced for $24k retail.
GM, Ford, Chrysler... if you want to exist in 3 years you should buy this company.
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Gregory 4:15AM (10/02/2008)
Just to correct your article, Gauteng is a province not a city. The cities of Johannesburg and Pretoria are found in Gauteng. Thanks....
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