Joule to create 10 000 jobs
2010-03-28 22:35
Grahamstown - Not only will the Joule, South Africa's first electric car, be manufactured in the country and create about 10 000 job opportunities, it will be available as soon as the middle of 2013.
Annie Bekker, an engineer at Optimal Energy, the company responsible for developing the car, said at the science expo Scifest Africa that they'll be manufacturing the car on a small scale this year already, to prove that the technology works and so that it can be further developed.
She also said the mass production of the car in South Africa should start by the end of 2012, but she would not say exactly where this will happen yet.
The plan is to build 50 000 units per year, of which about 10% will be sold in South Africa, with the rest being exported.
The Joule was well received at auto shows in Paris and Geneva, and an announcement is expected this year that a German car manufacturer will become involved in the Joule's manufacturing.
Over the last few months, the Joule has changed from a six-seat to a five-seat car, in order to leave more room in the boot. The interior was also given a significant amount of attention.
The car doesn't make a sound when it's idling or driving slowly and otherwise it makes very little noise.
The design is also different in respect of the wind and road noise which must be blocked out to a far greater degree, because it doesn't, as is the case with other cars, have the sound of the engine to mask the wind and road noise.
The Joule's entry-level model should cost about R245 000 and it will need a service every two years.
Since the battery is charged each time one brakes, the Joule will be very economical in the city.
The prototype can cover 300km in the city before its battery needs recharging. On the open road, the battery lasts for 250km.
Learn more on the website: www.dontbeapassenger.com.