Subaru goes electric as Daihatsu heads hybrid

SUBARU parent Fuji Heavy Industries has unveiled an electric-car concept model based on the R1 mini, which could be on sale by 2010.

The two-seater, called the R1e, uses high-performance lithium-ion batteries jointly developed with NEC and will go into pre-production testing later this year.

The car is claimed to be capable of travelling 150,000km without needing a battery change. The lithium-ion batteries take five minutes to be charged to 90 per cent.

Fuji Heavy Industries president Kyoji Takenaka said the company also planned to address the issue of hybrid technology. Subaru is believed to be planning to launch a hybrid car by 2007 that will offer 30 per cent better fuel economy than a conventional petrol-engine vehicle.

Meantime, as Subaru works towards electric power, Daihatsu last week unveiled a petrol-electric version of its Hijet Cargo model in Japan (left) – branding it the world’s first hybrid mini-LCV.

Reuters reports that the Toyota subsidiary has priced the 660cc van at around $US20,000 (more than double that of the petrol version) and admits lower prices will be needed to achieve significant sales volume.

Daihatsu, which claimed the hybrid van could travel 20km on a litre of fuel, is aiming to sell 300 units per annum when sales begin later next month.

In other hybrid news, DaimlerChrysler AG and General Motors reportedly inked a deal last week to co-develop new hybrid vehicle technology and regain lost ground to Japanese rivals.