Subaru R1: ICE Version of a Battery-Electric Concept Car
29 December 2004
Subaru is introducing the R1, an all-new mini car, into the Japanese market. Subaru showed versions of the R1 earlier this year at the Tokyo Motor Show. This R1 is an ICE (internal combustion engine) production version of the R1e battery-electric vehicle concept car that appeared last year (minus the plug-in electric drive system).
The production All Wheel Drive R1 uses a 0.66-liter, 4-cylinder engine featuring an active valve control system and an intelligent continuously variable transmission. Fuel consumption is low: 4.17 liters/100 km, or 56.4 mpg. This exceeds the Japanese 2010 target for fuel consumption for this weight class: 21.1 km/liter, or 4.72 liters/100 km.
The R1 meets Japan’s Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (J-ULEV) standards, which specify HC and NOx emissions of 0.02 g/km—an additional 50% below the HC and NOx levels of the 2005 exhaust emission regulations.
This car is neither small nor light at 3.3m length and 1020kg. At least, not compared to the Smart fortwo (2.5m, 750kg). I know which car I would like as an EV!
(info via a translated google on Subaru R1)
-- John
Posted by: John Norris | 29 December 2004 at 12:23 PM
Depends on the model—the lightest R1 is 800kg—at least, I think that’s what I’m seeing on the spec page. ;-)
Posted by: Mike | 29 December 2004 at 12:48 PM
You're right Mike. 1020kg is the GVW, not the unladen weight. See:
http://tinyurl.com/3l2mh
-- John
Posted by: John Norris | 29 December 2004 at 02:30 PM
Glad we worked that out. :-) And I hadn’t realized that Google had a beta version of Japanese translation up! That’s excellent. Thanks for the link.
Posted by: Mike | 29 December 2004 at 04:04 PM
With industry moved out of the US, and $US tied to it's ability to buy goods, the price of gas will continue to rise. I live in an area with 100" rain/yr. or I might consider a bicycle or a motorcycle for gas milage. Even so, the bicycle speed record was set with a completely faired velomobile (about 65 mph on level). Gas milage is tied to both aerodynamics and weight, and the added weight of the fairing is negated by the improved aerodynamics. A tadpole-hybrid velomobile, using a Leitra or Go-One, or etc., with a Honda GX50 engine will cruise at 50 mph and use gas at 200 mpg. (Poor milage compared to Shell's Eco-Marathon winners). This milage can be improved with a CVT, and both milage and emissions cleanliness can be improved using an on-board mini-cracking plant, like the GEET generator.
Posted by: Kerry McCarthy | 07 June 2005 at 11:24 PM
As a former owner of an early Honda Civic
I can remember that really small cars are a blast to drive and don't cost an arm and leg to buy. This would sell here.
Posted by: Michael Johnson | 09 March 2006 at 06:24 PM
test 25 aug 07
Posted by: Mike | 25 August 2007 at 08:46 PM