Development of a high performance electric vehicle

The Eco Vehicle project started in 1994 to develop a tandem style two seater vehicle which was high performance, ultra-small size and light weight. The Eco Vehicle will be developed from a ground-up design, incorporating new technology. New designs for the Eco Vehicle include the in-wheel motor drive system, a hollow load floor which house the batteries, and a new battery management system. The length of the vehicle will be 3.3 m; the width will be only 1.2 m; and the weight will be about 880 kg, including a battery weight of 269 kg. The range is expected to be 150 km in the Japanese 10 mode city driving schedule; the maximum velocity will be 130 km/h; and the 0 to 400 m acceleration time will be 17 seconds. Assembly of the first Eco Vehicle is planned to be completed by the summer of 1996.