Detroit Electric and Proton Announce Strategic Partnership to Produce EVs

30 March 2009

Detroit Electric Holdings Ltd, originally formed as a joint venture between ZAP and China Youngman Group (earlier post), and Malaysia-based Proton Holdings Berhad are forming a strategic partnership for the mass production of electric vehicles.

Under the agreement, Detroit Electric will license two Proton vehicle platforms and contract Proton to assemble the vehicles, using the Detroit Electric drive systems. The vehicles will then be marketed under Detroit Electric’s brand.

Detroit Electric plans to begin sales in 2010; its plans call for selling more than 270,000 EVs in Europe, UK, China and the United States by 2012. The vehicles will be priced between US$23,000 and US$26,000 for a city range option and between US$28,000 and US$33,000 for an extended range option. Styling changes will distinguish Detroit Electric’s vehicles from Proton’s existing line-up.

Proton, established in 1983, is Malaysia’s largest manufacturer of automobiles, currently producing 270,000 vehicles of various models annually in Malaysia.

The Detroit Electric drive system incorporates a 75 kW (150 kW peak) axial magnetic flux motor and a 25 kWh lithium-ion polymer (LiPo) battery pack to support a single-charge range of 180 km (112 miles) for the city range option. A 40 kWh pack supports a single-charge range of 325 km (202 miles) for the extended range option.

Detroit Electric currently has specified two models, the DE e63 and the slightly smaller, “race-inspired” DE e46. The DE e63 will offer a choice of the city-range or extended range battery packs; the e46 is currently spec’d to offer only the city-range pack.

The 25 kWh LiPo battery pack has a recharge time of 8 hours at 13 Amps, <3.2 hours at 32 Amps, and fast charging to 90% DOC in 20 minutes. The 40 kWh pack recharges in 12.5 hours at 13 Amps, < 5 hours at 32 Amps, and fast charges to 90% DOC in 30 minutes. Cycle life is greater than 2,000.