2012 Coda First Drive

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As modern electric vehicles begin to proliferate, there appear to be two separate camps when it comes to exterior style. There's the low-key, blend-in-with-the-pack crowd, and then there are the mad scientist conveyance types who want an EV that screams "Alternative propulsion!"

The new Coda all-electric sedan does no such screaming. Named after the musical term for a concluding passage or movement, it's just another unassuming four-door sedan on the outside -- and that's entirely intentional. Mainstream appeal is central to company's overall strategy. The goal is make electric vehicles that look, feel, and perform like a conventional, internal-combustion car. We spoke with a Coda dealer in San Jose who said one customer was drawn to the car precisely because it didn't shout its EV-ness. That's music to Coda's ears.

Styling aside, out on the open road the Coda's handling and acceleration proved to be a pleasant surprise. Benefitting from maximum torque instantly on demand, it scampered into freeway traffic with aplomb, and kept right up with the gas-powered hordes. Wheeling around tight-radius off-ramps was a low-effort affair, with no wandering or leaning to the outer perimeter.

The low mounting of the lithium-iron-phosphate batteries in the chassis provides some mechanical advantage, as it minimizes body roll by the sheer force of a lower center of gravity. And the batteries are secured in a backbone/platform-style chassis with a modified Mitsubishi independent suspension for a quiet, smooth ride when rolling over seamed and grooved concrete highways. The location of the batteries doesn't intrude on passenger or cargo space, either.

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Even so, we won't go so far as to agree with one Coda rep, who gushed, "It's just as good as a BMW!" A 40-year-old BMW, maybe. PR puffery aside, the Coda proved it can hold its own around town and on moderate freeway commutes, although it is speed-limited to 85 mph.

But how about on longer drives? We didn't have the opportunity to make a high-speed run across California's Mojave Desert, so we'll have to rely on company claims for now. Coda claims a maximum run of 125 to 150 miles on a full charge depending on the battery pack, either 31 kW or 36 kW. (The EPA rates it at 73 combined mpge). The company notes that this is about five times what the average U.S. commuter travels daily. But the fine print in the footnote has the usual qualifier about how your actual range will vary depending on driving style, speed, conditions, cargo, etc.

We first spotted a Coda at an eco-festival in Sacramento, where it really stood out (in a good way) from the crowd of oddball electric vehicle designs on display. The Coda dealer there claimed he had driven up from San Jose the day before on a single charge, about 120 miles or so.

The other indication of the car's capabilities involved reports from a Coda customer, Randal Abraham, who's a test pilot for United Airlines and therefore a careful observer by profession. Depending on how aggressively he drives, Abraham said his car's range is roughly one mile per one percent of charge. (The battery meter doesn't show any drain for the first several miles, and there's a built-in reserve with a "get-home mode. ") He also claims the batteries get "seasoned" after breaking in, and provide slightly better performance over time. He's driven his Coda roughly 3000 miles thus far, and finds he can cruise roundtrip from his home in Redwood City, California, to just about any destination in the San Francisco Bay area.

He takes advantage of free charging stations in the Bay Area to get more juice whenever he has to stop for an hour or so. The longest he's driven without a charge is 110 miles, and he's reported no significant loss of performance over hill and dale. Allowing for these limitations of range and availability of charging stations, he's pretty happy with his Coda. "Me and my wife are fighting over who gets to drive the electric car over our Prius," Abraham says. "It's not a sports car, but it's very roomy, and access to the commuter lane is a plus, too."

The next obvious question is once you've drawn down the batteries to near-empty, how quickly can you replenish them? The company says a full charge at 220 volts takes six hours of "sleep," to use Coda's terminology, and charging during a two-hour "movie" (another clever expression), would give the batteries enough juice for 50 miles or so. The battery pack is covered by a 10-year/100K warranty.

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As we've found with other alternative-fuel vehicles, whether these sorts of performance numbers are viewed as parameters instead of constrictive limitations obviously depends on a driver's individual circumstances. If you do a lot of short hops around town in traffic, and have ready access to charging stations and HOV lanes, then the Coda's range is entirely suitable. For long-haulers who regularly tackle steep, mountain grades in remote areas, best to take the Prius instead.

Style-wise, at first glance the Coda's round front end looks about as edgy as a jelly bean. The rear quarters of the car are a bit more interesting, with some surface detailing and contours. Don't expect to see styling elements of high-zoot sport sedans (BMW or otherwise). Instead, the Coda is as plain as generic vanilla. To borrow Jerry Seinfeld's quip, "Not that there's anything wrong with that..." After all, vanilla is the most popular ice cream flavor.

The Coda's cabin is comfy and has a classy, upscale feel. There are no bizarre bells and whistles or Spartan seats as stiff as a church pew. Instead, the atmosphere is completely predictable, as it should be, with the typical creature comforts and safety equipment. The only notable exception: the large, washing-machine-look dial in the center console, instead of the typical PRNDL shifter, for engaging the electric drive system. The dash looks familiar, but instead of a "check engine" light, the icons are specific to electric drivetrains. Like the one that prevents you from driving away with the cord still tethered to the charge station.

In addition to the dealership in San Jose, we also checked out the Coda at a boutique display at a tony mall in Century City, just west of Rodeo Drive. Free test drives are readily available, and there's a charging station in the parking garage. Anybody who hangs out at Apple stores would feel right at home at this Coda storefront. The test drive is a basically a quick spin around the block, just a few miles in all, but it's enough to get a feel for around-town performance.

Getting down to brass tacks, does the Coda make financial sense? Again, the answer depends on who's asking. At $38,145 a pop including destination, they don't come cheap. Given the extra cash you'll pay for an electric drivetrain over a conventional gasoline burner, you could purchase a substantial amount of fuel.

On the other hand, the Coda enjoys a $7500 federal tax credit, and California residents receive an additional $2500 incentive. Keep in mind, too, that service and maintenance expenses on an electric powertrain are significantly less than those of an internal combustion engine. And as mentioned, it can run in the HOV lane with or without passengers. That aspect alone can be worth a lot to urban commuters in time saved and reduced aggravation. Of course, that leaves more hours for topping off the batteries once you get to the next charging station.

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