Australian electric vehicle maker manufactures Hyundai Getz EV

01/12/2009 - 06:10 | ,   | Shrawan Raja

The Getz EV uses smart technology which gives it low maintenance & high range

Australian company Blade Electric Vehicles retrofits the Hyundai’s Getz with an electric motor. The 'Blade Electron' as they are called, have reached more than 20 customers in Australia.

The motor is driven by a Lithium Iron Phosphate batteries and on a single charge, which takes about an hour's time, it can run 100km.

So why did Blade Electric Vehicles choose the Getz as its donor car?

Company founder Ross Blade -

Our major concern was, how appropriate is its design for upfitting. The second was how safe is it after upfitting and, of course, the third consideration was how it fits into the business model; what will be practical in Australia, and the answer was the Getz.

The Blade Electron has successfully negotiated crash safety tests in Australia, and will take the more rigorous ANCAP tests next year.

The unique aspect of this vehicle is its serviceability. It need not be brought to Blade's service station in case of a repair as any qualified auto electrician can diagnose and rectify the problems. How?

Company founder Ross Blade -

The Tesla car, for example, uses 6000 small batteries. If there’s a problem, the whole thing has to come out. We use larger prismatic battery cells. There’s 56 of them, and if any of them fails, an auto electrician can open it up and replace the cell.

Replacing a cell costs $140, plus labour charges.

The Blade Electron has two forward gears: town and highway

The great thing about this car is apart from the drivetrain, everything else is just Getz. The air-conditioner and power steering are driven by an auxiliary motor, so most of the driving experience remains constant and the Getz retains its character.

The batteries take up little space and the luggage area is almost unaffected. Only 10cm of this space is taken up by the batteries and related electronics.

Sold with a three year warranty, the Electron’s asking price of 20 lakh rupees might not sound appealing, but the company promises it will pay for itself after some years. The company will also buy back the vehicle from you for 7.68 lakh rupees upto a period of three years from the time of purchase.

Source - TMR

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