Thread: Pininfarina and Bollore to Build Electric Cars for Paris Car-Share Program

Electric cars could soon be as integral part to the Paris landscape as the Eiffel Tower and fantastic patisseries. Pininfarina and Frances Bollore have finally agreed upon a joint venture that will produce an EV based on the Pininfarina Bluecar concept first shown during the 2008 Paris Auto Show.

The new company, called Cecomp, will produce 4,000 electric cars in a leased section of Pininfarinas factory in Turin, Italy. The cars will not be on sale for the general public. Instead, theyre set to form the basis of Frances Autolib car-share program – which itself will be modeled on the bike-sharing program, Velib, already in place in the French capital.

The Bluecar Concept was praised during the 2008 Paris Show for its bold design. The futuristic-looking, lithium-polymer battery-powered Bluecar appeared to have plenty of potential, but an estimated $30,000 price made it a pricey proposition. The onset of the global recession delayed production plans for the Bluecar, along with implementation of Paris much-hyped Autolib program.

Even the Velib bike-sharing program has hit some bumps in the road. Complaints about a lack of bike maintenance, along with safety concerns (especially concerning tourists not knowing the rules of the road), have posed serious problems. Maintaining a fleet of electric cars and ensuring theyre used properly will be an even more daunting endeavor.