Chinese electric SUV begins final testing for US market

“Engineers from Roush have recently finished four days of initial inspections here in California, performing an engineering review of the All-Electric SUV,” said Fred Luke, President of Green Automotive. “We intend to stay on track toward meeting our goal of launching retail sales of the All-Electric SUV in the U.S. through a network of selected dealerships by the end of this year.”

Roush Industries is a leading provider of automotive engineering and systems integration solutions, with 2,500 employees in facilities the world over. The level of expertise at Roush, including areas such as advanced composites, body design and engineering, paint and trim services, fabrication and instrumentation, qualifies the company to provide professional support during the vehicle testing cycle.

The Zotye Electric SUV utilizes a 25.6 kWh lithium-ion battery, has a range of 250 miles and a top speed of 70 mph. It will accelerate from zero to 60 mph in 9.5 seconds.

The SUV features On-Board Charging and fast charging ports, an automatic transmission and multiple options for interiors, tires, rims and other features. It comes with an 185,000 mile warranty.

The testing breaks down into four phases.

First comes a review of the vehicle engineering and construction, with added focus on safety features such as airbags, seat belts and other elements.

The second phase involves comparing the vehicle to required safety standards.

Step three consists of further vehicle testing, tear down and processing the data for comparison to federal standards.

Phase four entails compiling a report detailing the test findings and including recommendations for improvements. All vehicles sold in the United States must go through this process.

Under the agreement between EvCarco and Green Automotive Company, EvCarco will distribute the all-electric Zotye SUV to its coast-to-coast network of existing automotive dealerships in California, Nevada, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia, and Florida to allow the current dealership network to offer eco-friendly vehicles to their customers. EvCarco has developed a six-state auto dealer network with plans to expand into most states by 2012.