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TEPCO and Fuji Heavy Unveil EV Minicar Prototype; TEPCO to Use 3,000 by 2012
21 June 2006
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| The electric R1e. |
Nikkei. Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) and Fuji Heavy Industries, the maker of Subarus, today unveiled a prototype an electric vehicle that they have been developing together since last year. (Earlier post.)
TEPCO says that it will use 3,000 of these cars for business use by fiscal 2012.
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The electric vehicle is based on Fuji Heavy’s Subaru R1 minicar and features a high-performance manganese lithium-ion battery developed with NEC Corp. (Earlier post.) It can run about 80km on a single charge with a top speed of 100 km/h (62 mph), according to the developers. A 346V battery pack powers the 40kW drive motor, and can recharge to 80% capacity in 15 minutes.
The manganese Li-ion cells use lithium manganese oxide spinel (LiMn2O4) as the cathode active material. The crystalline spinel structure makes the battery resistant to overcharging and provides high thermal stability, according to NEC/Tokin.
TEPCO will start testing 40 of these cars to evaluate such capabilities as recharge times and the distances they can travel without recharging. If these trials go well, it will replace 500 business-use vehicles with the new electric cars each year starting next fiscal year.
By fiscal 2012, Tepco will have switched 3,000 of its business-use vehicles, or almost 40% of the total, to the electric vehicles. Fuji Heavy hopes to put the vehicles into commercial production by as early as 2009.
Resources:
R1e presentation (Japanese)
June 21, 2006 in Electric (Battery), Japan | Permalink | Comments (32) | TrackBack (3)
Comments
Posted by: Ash | June 22, 2006 at 12:22 PM
Ash:
If I had a car that would't do 80, I wouldn't drive it on the highway. So, that is not so bad. 90% of my driving is not currently on the highway, and I could trade cars with my wife on days that I need more distance. People make choices all the time. Sometimes I ride my bike when the weather is good and I don't have to travel more than 5 or 6 miles. I don't take it on the highway, but that limitation doesn't keep me from buying one. Cost, on the other hand, might.
Posted by: JMartin | June 22, 2006 at 05:25 PM
Hello from Japan,
Please note that the Subaru R1e is designed for city use.
TEPCO knows more than 90% of their current mini-cars are driving less than 80km around the capital city area.
Their target cost is 3Myen (US$26,000) in 2007.
Posted by: Ken | June 23, 2006 at 11:18 PM
I'm currently working on a stand-alone solar battery charger, that will also distill water. Like it or not, utilities. The age of the EV is upon us now.
Posted by: wiley | August 12, 2006 at 10:47 PM
Hi Ken,
Sell your technology to the chinese automaker.
( please read the below saying by Yoshida, EV inventor in Japan. )
"The environmentally aware Chinese automakers are ahead of the game, however, and have already begun construction of lithium-ion battery production lines, in step with the Chinese authorities’ plan to introduce electric taxis for the Beijing Olympics, Yoshida says. The Keio team has been approached by the automakers seeking a technological tie-up, but Yoshida and Shimizu have taken little interest because what they are after is a “Mercedes”, not a taxi. “It’s important to produce a top-of-the-range car first, otherwise electric cars will always be stigmatised as an inferior alternative to the engine car,” Yoshida says. His goal is to beat the Chinese in launching the first lithium-ion electric car. “If the Chinese did it first, it might deal a fatal blow to the Japanese car industry, and possibly to the manufacturing sector as a whole,” he says.
Posted by: bob | August 14, 2006 at 08:42 PM
i am intrested to do Trade in EV car in India.
Kindly guide to right manfacturer.
thanks.
Abhinya from India.
Posted by: abhinaya | September 16, 2006 at 06:31 AM
i am intrested to do Trade in EV car in India.
Kindly guide to right manfacturer.
thanks.
Abhinya from India.
Posted by: abhinaya | September 16, 2006 at 06:33 AM
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I don't think this car would work well in the US, speed limits are 70mph, and even at that it is often dangerous to go the speed limit...
I'd want a top speed of 80 but the ~49mile range should work for the average commuter