Genovation Cars completes Phase I of G2 EV development; Tata Technologies prime contractor
12 January 2011
Genovation Inc., a Maryland designer and custom builder of electric automobiles, has completed Phase I of development of its G2 electric car model. Phase I, managed and delivered by Tata Technologies, which serves as the prime contractor on the full vehicle project, included the completion of design details including cost analyses, performance simulations, crash simulations, computational fluid dynamics analyses and two quarter-scale models.
Subcontractors on the G2 project include Metalsa, which recently acquired Dana Holding Corporation’s structural product business, for the structural design and manufacturing; and Dana Thermal Products for the car’s thermal operations (engine cooling, battery management and cabin climate control).
The G2 model that Tata Technologies is developing will incorporate Genovation’s research and development that went into its G1 model, an electric conversion of a Ford Focus. The conversion included the installation of an electric motor, battery string, controller, instrumentation and generator; using off the shelf items.
Phase II of the G2 development has commenced. It will include the design of a G2 working prototype. Phase III includes building preproduction prototypes for road testing and crash tests. It will also include the design and building of a production facility. Long term, it is Genovation’s goal to operate from a business plan that envisions building 1,000 units at a time through manufacturing pods that require just a few robots and relies more heavily on teams of skilled workers.
Now that TATA is involved, perhaps there will be some cost engineering. ..HG..
Posted by: Henry Gibson | 13 January 2011 at 12:25 AM
...building 1,000 units at a time through manufacturing pods??? that require just a few robots and relies MORE heavily on teams of skilled workers....
Fewer robots and more skilled workers would normally increase mass manufacturing cost, specially in high labor cost places like USA/Canada.
It seems that such manufacturing plan is tailor made for India (where Tata is) and China.
Posted by: HarveyD | 13 January 2011 at 09:05 AM