The project team made an important decision: they will rethink the “Tesla of Cluj” in a much cheaper version. “Probably if we said that the car is produced in Switzerland, customers would have jumped to buy it for 450,000 euros,” claims Florin Dehelean, one of the investors.
The electric car produced in Cluj was put up for sale for 450,000 euros. PHOTO: Remus Florescu
Florin Dehelean, one of the four investors in the project of the first electric car designed and produced in Romania, claimed that although the prototype known as the “Tesla of Cluj” was put up for sale for 450,000 euros, the project team intends to make a new variant of the car, which would cost 200,000-300,000 euros.
“We intend to make a second iteration of the car that will allow us to lower costs. We are planning a reconfiguration of the business typology, considering that the production of the automobile by us comes with very high costs. Thus, we are thinking of becoming integrators: we will purchase the components and integrate them herei”, stated Dehelean.
Thus, if in the first version of the car the chassis was produced in Cluj, investors are looking for chassis manufacturers to find the best version that can be integrated into the car.
A car of 2-300,000 euros
The design of the car may also undergo changes. “Now we are trying to find the best option, which must represent a compromise between the economic and the aesthetic side. You have to reconcile everyone. In the industry they say that cars are created by economists first and foremost”stated Dehelean.
The electronic system developed by Arobs and the experience gained by the project team will remain from the prototype.
Dehelean claims that in the context of the domestic market and the fact that the car is produced in Romania, for the successful scaling of an electric car model, costs must be reduced. “Probably if we said that the car is produced in Switzerland, customers would have jumped to buy it for 450,000 euros, but we have to take into account the fact that Romania is a developing country and is not known as a manufacturer of electric cars quality“, explained Dehelean.
The investor also claimed that the area of interest of Romanians in terms of electric cars is 15-30,000 euros, according to a recent market study.
Croatian electric car, investments of two billion euros
On the other hand, producing an electric car from scratch means major investments, says Dehelean, giving the example of the Croatians at Rimac Group.
They have attracted two billion euros in investment in their 1,900-horsepower Nevera electric sports car. Investors include Goldman Sachs, Porsche and a technology fund advised by Japan's SoftBank.
In 2021, Rimac made a joint venture with Porsche to produce top electric sports cars. The company will continue to produce the Rimac Nevera, which sells for $2.4 million, as well as a number of new models for Bugatti.
Rimac also manufactures components for high-performance electric and hybrid vehicles produced by other automakers. Rimac technology has already attracted several big-name automotive customers, including Ferrari, Hyundai, Jaguar, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Renault.
Funds are being sought for the development of the project
Dehelean stated that the first version of the “Tesla of Cluj” prototype will not go into production, but the money from its sale will be invested in the creation of the second version of the electric car.
“The media exposure achieved was a success for the project and shows us that there is interest in this type of product. The team also gained experience that will serve them well in the future. A colleague of ours, Vlad Vidrean, was recruited to the Audi Formula 1 team”he also specified.
At the moment, investors are looking for partnerships and funds for the development of a new phase of the project.
“We are now looking for partnerships with universities, research institutes and funding to develop the project further. I also applied for several types of European funds“, explained Dehelean.
What does the “Tesla of Cluj” prototype offer
The prototype of the first electric car designed and produced in Romania, in Cluj, is sold for 450,000 euros. The car has an autonomy of 300 kilometers and is a technological gem with motors in the wheels, rear-view mirrors replaced by video cameras, doors with sensors.
The car has no less than five screens: the central tablet known from the Tesla model S – where the parameters of the car are monitored -, the tablet that provides the entertainment part, two monitors that transmit images from the rear-view cameras and the dashboard screen in front of the driver.
The car has a length of 4.9 meters and a width of 2.1 meters, being made of carbon fiber.
“Tesla of Cluj” reaches a speed of 140 kilometers per hour, and the two motors in the wheels provide the equivalent of 200 horsepower.
The prototype produced in Cluj is a luxury sports car, intended for customers who want a customized product, Dehelean also specified. Thus, the vehicle can be customized according to the requirements of the potential buyer.
