The Dutch car market is not known for its sexiness. Except for Spyker cars, the few Dutch car manufacturers are mostly known for their decent, practical design and with the new start-up Duracar that is not about to change. At same time, that practical approach could very well be the key to their success in the electric car market.
October 4th this year, Duracar will unveilled their first ‘ready to produce and deliver’ car at the “Mondial de L’Automobile” (world of the car) –show in Paris. The ‘Diva’ as it is called is comparable with a Renault Kangoo and the Peugeot Bippen. According to Duracar’s Guido Boosten driving 100 km will costs you only €1,- to €2,-while conventional diesel cars will cost you € 11,-. 

Unpractical

In my times as Clean Vehicle advisor, I often cursed at producers like Ford and Saab when they kept introducing new ‘clean cars concepts’ that the ‘innovators and early adopters’ where not interested in. I am not talking about celebrities or other high net worth individuals that would buy a Tesla or Venturi just for fun. I am talking about the governmental and corporate car fleet owners that need to uphold an image while controlling rising fuel costs. Especially the municipalities where interested in cars that had low emissions due to rising regulation problems with pm10 and NoX emissions. And what did the sales guys from Ford present to us? A Flex Fuel Focus. Not exactly the perfect car for an electrician or a postal worker.

Dutch Design & Captive Fleets


Now, Duracar delivers this speedy and practical electric car with a load capacity of 600 kilo’s and room for 2,2 cubical meters of stuff. Finally something to introduce in all those so-called ‘Captive fleets”. Captive fleets are car fleets that return to their home base every day, like garbage trucks do every day. This effect makes it affordable for fleet owners to invest in their own “fuelling or charging station”. These stations can eventually be ‘enclosed to the public’ helping create the necessary infrastructure for electric cars to break through to the public. As Dutch Design stands for stylish and practical products, Duracar could very well stand for a stylish and practical introduction strategy.





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