Vollkswagen has struck a deal worth "at least 10 million euros" with Wilhelm Karmann GmbH to keep the insolvent Karmann alive so it can reorganize a new company and "focus on building electric-powered cars," according to an unsourced report in the Neue Osnabruecker Zeitung that can be found on Bloomberg. A report on HLN.be says that the deal is worth 20 million euros for the EVs, which are planned to go on sale in 2011.

Earlier this year, Karmann showed off an EV concept called the E3 Limosine, codeveloped with utility company Oldenburg Energy Group (EWE). Last October, Karmann said it would help build some of DuraCar's Quicc! DiVas EVs. Karmann's classic Ghia model can sometimes be found with an all-electric drivetrain, as well. Thanks to Frederik for the tip!


[Source: Bloomberg, HLN.be]

The Dutch website dedicated to electric and hybrid automobiles, ZERAuto, has been conducting a poll, asking its visitors to rank their favorite ride and offering 12 very nice entrants to choose from. Perhaps not surprisingly, the Netherlands-based DuraCar Quicc! Diva grabbed the top spot and now proudly sports the "Car of the Future" crown, even though it had competitors like the Tesla Roadster and the Pininfarina B0 BlueCar. Putting aside possible nationalistic motivations, it seems likely that the practical Dutch see the Quicc! Diva as a stylish yet pragmatic way of moving themselves and their stuff around the narrow streets of their city centers. The Chevy Volt, which had occupied the top spot, was deposed to 2nd place; the Th!nk City was also a bridegroom.

The honor did not go unnoticed by certain politicians and yesterday the Minister of Economic Affairs, Maria van der Hoeven, presented DuraCar CEO Steen Wim Bakker with a certificate denoting the accolade. Although the company recently declared bankruptcy, as did their intended builder Karmann, they plan on making a comeback and begin producing 25 cars a day in Q3 of 2010, more than a year behind schedule. For their part, Karmann may also be a zombie phoenix. It's been reported that they've landed a £10 million ($14 million) model-development contract from Volkswagen which will help them restructure and allow them to focus on electric cars. Hit the break for a Google translated press release as well as a bonus video of the Diva struttin' her stuff.


[Source: ZERAuto / Bloomberg]

German coachbuilder Karmann will introduce an all-new electric car, codeveloped with utility company Oldenburg Energy Group (EWE) at the next Hannover auto fair. The model is called the E3 Limousine, but the vehicle is really a crossover with classic lines and full interior versatility. According to EWE CEO Werner Brinker, "Electric cars are the future. This is the reason why we're teaming with Karmann, a company with more than one hundred years of car building experience, to develop and implement electric mobility solutions." The E3 promises a range of 150 km (90 miles) at a maximum speed of 140 km/h (85mph). Next October, both companies will have six running models, which will be used to test the energy management software.

[Source: Auto News]

It seems as though Karmann won't let a little thing like bankruptcy get in the way of its plans to move forward with new electro-car work. As part of a venture undertaken with German energy and communications company the Oldenburg Energy Group (EWE), the iconic maker of Ghias, Crossfires and cabriolets has penned a new design that will be unveiled at the Hannover Messe 2009 (Hanover Trade Fair) next week. Called the E3, the vehicle will sport an EWE nameplate and is being described as a "sports-limousine." When the curtain is pulled back, we are expecting to see the smallest limo one might imagine as EWE says the concept study is built on a scale of 1:2. That's half-size for those of us with math allergies.

Although EWE doesn't see itself as an electric car maker in the near term, it is very interested in exploring the possibilities of using thousands of batteries on wheels to store renewable but intermittent wind and solar energy. The E3 is the first of 4 to 6 vehicles planned that will help them learn how their communication and networking tech can be integrated into automobiles to achieve that storage goal. This little electric limo isn't the only battery-powered car in Karmann's future. If it manages to keep the doors open, it is scheduled to build the Quicc! DiVa for Duracar this summer. Hit the jump for a press release about the partnership between the two companies.

[Source: EWE / TecZilla]

As our faithful readers are already aware, the Quicc! DiVa by DuraCar has just been introduced to the world and is currently on display at the Paris Motor Show. And while its great that the public can now see the electric city van made of plastic, it would be even better if they could buy it, so we are happy to inform you that Wilhelm Karmann GmbH has stepped into the DuraCar picture and, beginning in June 2009, will be building some of the Quicc! DiVas. The famed company, located in Osnabrück, has an agreement to supply vehicles bound for the German market though there may be other collaborative efforts between the two companies in the future. Perhaps better known today for its convertible-making operations, Karmann has a long history of building entire cars and has produced over three million of them in their 100+ year history including the Chrysler Crossfire, the Ford Merkur XR4Ti and, of course, the legendary Karmann Ghia.

As part of their overall strategy, DuraCar is seeking to have several production lines in close geographical proximity to where the cars will be sold thus keeping their carbon foot print to a minimum. The Dutch company is currently in talks with other potential constructors in different markets. Hitting the jump will give you bonus videos of the Quicc! DiVa in action as well as the official press release.



[Source: DuraCar]