Danish company works with Geely to develop electric car
Two Danish companies supplied key parts to help Chinese company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. develop an electric version of its Panda small car.
Fitted with an electric motor system from Danish electric car developer Lynx Cars and a battery pack from Danish battery maker Positive Batteries, the five-seat electric car can reach a top speed of 130 km/hour and has a range of 200 kilometers per charge, Positive Batteries' founder Brian Hoehl told Automotive News China.
In Asia the car will carry the badge of Geely Panda while in the United States and Europe it will be branded Geely Nanoq, said Hoehl. Nanoq means polar bear in Greenland language. "So it makes sense to use the story of the Polar bear in the countries outside Asia to make a direct link with the benefit of driving electric," he added.
The car was demonstrated through drives in the streets of Copenhagen during the 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference in December. It will be ready for sale in Europe in spring 2010, according to Hoehl.