Former Tesla marketing chief headed to Coda Automotive?
Coda sedan - Click above for high-res image gallery
Could it be that the former head of marketing and communications at Tesla Motors is heading over to a similar position at the company formerly known as Miles Automotive's new Coda Automotive brand? If 2 + 2 still equals 4 then we're pretty sure that's the case, at least for a little while. Darryl Siry, who publicly tweeted that he had recently been helping out the fledgling electric vehicle spin-off, appears ready to take on a more official title, though it may only be for a few months. In an inaugural posting on a blog created to follow the genesis of his personal start up, Plato's Forms, Siry writes that he will "...take on a new role of acting Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer for an LA based EV company for the next 4-6 months."
We suspect that by simultaneously taking on these two demanding challenges, he will soon view the period between the leaving of his former high-profile position until now as lazy days indeed. That's not to intimate that successfully marketing the Coda sedan (pictured above) will be an especially difficult task...ok, yes, it is. Initial enthusiasm for the all-electric sedan has been somewhat muted in the face of the daunting $45,000 price tag and somewhat plain, yet controversial, styling. Now that Tesla officially has the ATVMP funds that clears the path of the very desirable "S," Siry will need to find himself a way to explain to consumers the advantages of buying a Coda rather than waiting a little longer for the seemingly superior product offered by his former employer. Seriously, good luck with that.
Update: Mr. Siry, emphasizing the temporary nature of his new position, wishes to clarify that his main objective at Coda will be to find a permanent chief marketing officer (CMO).
[Source: Plato's Forms / Twitter]
Coda sedan photos Copyright ©2009 Mike Levine
Could it be that the former head of marketing and communications at Tesla Motors is heading over to a similar position at the company formerly known as Miles Automotive's new Coda Automotive brand? If 2 + 2 still equals 4 then we're pretty sure that's the case, at least for a little while. Darryl Siry, who publicly tweeted that he had recently been helping out the fledgling electric vehicle spin-off, appears ready to take on a more official title, though it may only be for a few months. In an inaugural posting on a blog created to follow the genesis of his personal start up, Plato's Forms, Siry writes that he will "...take on a new role of acting Chief Marketing and Strategy Officer for an LA based EV company for the next 4-6 months." We suspect that by simultaneously taking on these two demanding challenges, he will soon view the period between the leaving of his former high-profile position until now as lazy days indeed. That's not to intimate that successfully marketing the Coda sedan (pictured above) will be an especially difficult task...ok, yes, it is. Initial enthusiasm for the all-electric sedan has been somewhat muted in the face of the daunting $45,000 price tag and somewhat plain, yet controversial, styling. Now that Tesla officially has the ATVMP funds that clears the path of the very desirable "S," Siry will need to find himself a way to explain to consumers the advantages of buying a Coda rather than waiting a little longer for the seemingly superior product offered by his former employer. Seriously, good luck with that.
Update: Mr. Siry, emphasizing the temporary nature of his new position, wishes to clarify that his main objective at Coda will be to find a permanent chief marketing officer (CMO).
Gallery: Coda EV live
Gallery: Coda EV sedan
[Source: Plato's Forms / Twitter]
Coda sedan photos Copyright ©2009 Mike Levine
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Nick P. 11:53AM (6/29/2009)
What Coda needs is not more marketing & strategy. What they need is better *industrial design*. They will need it in order to compete with the Model S, the Karma and even the Volt (still looks better).
Just do the design in US, Italy or UK (where the best design schools are) and do the manufacturing in China.
Probably easier said than done...
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Throwback 12:09PM (6/29/2009)
I agree, Lee Iacocoa would have a hrad time selling that thing.
sac 12:22PM (6/29/2009)
I don't see the Coda and the Model S as competing at all. Sure for those so desparate to get a production electric car in the $50k-ish range, the Coda could be an alternative to the Model S. However, the Model S will be offered with the option of three battery pack sizes meaning a range of 160, 230, or 300 miles (http://www.teslamotors.com/models/index.php). The Model S will have a starting price of $12k higher than the Coda which is not trivial for most people. The Model S will also have alot of appeal for those with socalled 'range anxiety' since one can spend their way into a 300 mile battery pack (although I've not heard what the price bump will be for this premium). The Model S is more of a sporty 4 door with sports car like acceleration and I think that it will appeal to those interested in BMW's and Audi's who can afford to drop $50-$75k on a car but want the flexibility of carrying passengers and cargo.
Bottom line this is good news all around. I'm totally exited at the number of REAL production electric cars are going to be hitting the markets in the next 24 months. I hope the Coda will be made available in Seattle.
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Brian from Colorado 2:29PM (6/29/2009)
Lots of room for the Toyota's and Honda's of the world as well as the BMW's and Audi's. I hope they can sell the crap out of these so the price will come down $10K in a year or two so I can buy one. $35K is still the sweet spot for middle America that's why you see so many Toyota's instead of BMW's in the suburbs.
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BlackbirdHighway 1:46PM (6/29/2009)
It's not the best looking car, but it's not that hideous. It's no Aztek or Pacer. If the build quality and reliability are bad then that may kill it, but otherwise it could have some reasonable success.
It's easy to see why the hydrogen guys are so upset. By 2012 the auto market will be swimming with electrics. When the fuel cell vehicles finally show up, maybe around 2015, (or maybe later), it's going to be hard for them to make much of a splash.
The only thing is, they are misplacing the blame when they try to put it on the electrics!
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summazooma 7:26AM (6/30/2009)
I can see that, though perhaps not for the reasons you might be thinking. A fuel cell vehicle is, after all, a form of serial Hybrid EV, with the Fuel Cell generating power for the electric drivetrain (much like the Volt). GM even talked about a Fuel Cell eventually taking the place of the I.C.E. when they showed off what was then called E-Flex.
What makes an EV more attractive now (improved battery technology) will work just as well (even more so?) for an FCEV.
The real problem is that there is still no reasonable infrastructure plan in place to support a mass market made up of Fuel Cells. It's not sustainable until then, which is why FCEVs are test vehicles or limited volume "demonstration" fleets now. There doesn't seem to be the push for FCEVs that there was a few years ago, though that could change fairly quickly. Perhaps that was what you meant?
As someone who looks at this kind of strategic decision at work, I can tell you that it's better to come up with an "agnostic" solution rather than rush to make a relatively inflexible plan work... why the best regulations focus on "performance" and not "design"; What it does is more important than how it does it... The problem of course is that a balance must be maintained between performance (driving, effect on environment, etc.) and efficacy (it might cost a lot/take a lot of time & effort to develop, so let's go with the less expensive/easier to execute solution), or the "good enough" solution. Perhaps that was what you meant, also?
In terms of vehicle cycle plans, the difference between 2012 and 2015 isn't that great; That amounts to more time than NSX was out of production before the replacement went "belly-up" (or something like that). The reality is that, though 2015-ish timeframes have been mentioned for commercialization of fuel cells in the past, the reality is that, if at all, truly mass market FCEVs are probably a good decade "down the road from there" (When did the first Prius & Insight launch, at what volumes, and where are we now?)
Perhaps, a stationary Fuel Cell is a better solution for the short-term?
JustZisGuy 10:59AM (6/30/2009)
"By 2012 the auto market will be swimming with electrics."
I hope you're right, but I have brochures on electric cars/vans from Nissan, Chrysler, Ford, GM and Toyota that date from 1999...
Electric cars are coming. Electric cars are coming. Electric cars are coming. ...
Jon 2:06PM (6/29/2009)
It's not hideous - I've seen far worse designs (the green bubble car for example). It's not vastly different in design to a Toyota Corolla. The price will be a barrier though - for $45k you could buy a Porsche Boxster.
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jpm 2:26PM (6/29/2009)
Nah, put the money towards better engineers ... not some marketing blogger.
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Terry 8:30PM (6/29/2009)
His marketing role is already a failure.
If he believed that this product would work he would be thinking way more long term than 4 to 6 months. It's not a vote of confidence. He needs a paycheck for a while and will then hand the "Hot Potato" that is Coda to some other poor sucker...
As far as strategy, the time for that was 2 years ago when they first announced the car. What kind of strategic play are they thinking of making now? The original car they showed as the Javler or whatever was better looking. This company is going backwards!!
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