Africa’s first all-electric locally engineered car has been presented at the Paris Motor Show. Known as Joule, its creators say it uses about 20% of the energy needed by a conventional car and produces no damaging environmental emissions.

The six-seat multi-purpose vehicle’s interior and exterior was styled by Keith Helfet, the South Africa-born designer who became famous as Jaguar’s chief stylist. He was responsible for the iconic style of the XJ220, the XK180 and the F-Type Jaguar models.

Joule uses two lithium ion battery packs similar to those used in mobile phones and notebooks – just much bigger. 

It takes 7 hours to fully charge batteries using an ordinary 220 volt home outlet. Two batteries ensure 400 kilometres for the Joule's driving range – practically the same 244 miles range the much-touted Tesla roadster has boasted.

The owner of Joule will also be free to replace original batteries with different configurations to improve performance and cost.

Optimal Energy CEO Kobus Meiring says that 99% of citizens drive less than 150 kilometres a day, making the Joule ideal for daily transport needs.

Recommended recharging time is between 11pm to 6am, when the cost of electricity is the lowest.

Joule, developed with the international market in mind, will be available towards the end of 2010, and exports will follow shortly after the South African launch.

It is expected that Joule will face severe competition from car giants such as Toyota, GM and Mitsubishi – all of them promised their own electric cars on the market by 2010.

Joule’s French equivalent Zero Emission Concept by Renault was shown off at the same Paris Motor Show.

Motor-car construction in South Africa is nearly 80 years old. In the 1920s, Ford opened car production in Johannesburg. Today, practically all major car brands have affiliated societies in South Africa, including Toyota, GM, Ford, Mercedes, BMW, Opel, Volkswagen, Nissan, Mitsubishi and Mazda.