Charge!

More and more auto-makers are adding a hybrid or an electric car to their suite of vehicles. But for CODA Automotive, the electric car is the heart of their business. And as part of CODA’s commitment to the electric vehicle movement, the company will open its doors to the public once a month for an “EV Happy Hour” — a fun way for the community to learn about EV ownership.

Enjoy food and drinks from local Santa Monica restaurants while CODA breaks down the basics and answers any questions you may have. The event will be hosted at CODA’s headquarters (820 Broadway, Santa Monica, 90401) on April 20, May 18 and June 15 from 6 to 8 p.m. RSVP to EventsLA@codaautomotive.com.

CODA will soon open up its first retail location at Westfield Century City shopping mall. Yes, in a mall. You can take a test drive and get up to speed on all things CODA using in-store applications on iPads. Construction begins this month, with test drives available by late summer.

In the spirit of all things homegrown, CODA and GOOD LA (www.good.is) will be partnering to inspire local communities to join the EV movement.

You may not be familiar with CODA as it’s a privately held company that has been focused on developing its products. CODA hopes that its core technology — advanced lithium-ion battery systems — will power a new generation of clean vehicles and dramatically improve the efficiency and rate of adoption of clean energy sources like wind and solar power. Coda’s 100% electric car is the first product to benefit from the company’s advanced technology.

The CODA is a four-door five-passenger battery-electric vehicle with a full trunk and it’s capable of providing a dependable all-season range up to 120 miles on a single charge. It charges twice as fast as the leading competitor with its 6.6kWh on-board charger — about six hours from a 220-volt outlet.