UK Co to Make Electric Cars in Bulgaria Stara Zagora

The British company Zero Carbon 2020 plans to begin, during the second quarter of 2011, putting together electric cars in a plant in Bulgaria's southern city of Stara Zagora.

The information is reported Saturday by the Economy News site, citing Jamie Robertson, the company's director, and comes on the heels of the "Electric Cars – Challenges to New Mobility" conference held Thursday and Friday in Sofia.

The initial investment is estimated at BGN 6.5 M, and if the market reacts well, it is planned it would reach EUR 10-12 M.

Two models will be put together in Stara Zagora – an urban and a sports one. These models can run 300 km without the need to be recharged, with average global electric cars run currently estimated at 150 km, according to Zero Carbon.

The company will further develop models with the so-called inductive charge – without cables to connect the vehicle with the charging stations.

Zero Carbon work in partnership with another UK company - Liberty E Cars, which is considering investing in Bulgaria as well – in the manufacturing of electric cars parts (batteries, electronics etc).

One year ago, the international fund Corus Ventures announced they have secured a British investment for the making of electric cars in Stara Zagora. Later, the investors visited the city to research the possibilities and the time frame of launching the production line for, as it was reported then, a 4-seat electric car that could reach speeds of 120 km/h.