Subaru & Toyota join the electric-car race
September 19, 2008 by Alborz Fallah
Yesterday we were talking about Toyota’s concern about the new Chevrolet Volt, but news from Japan today has revealed that the big T and partner company Subaru have announced plans to join the electric vehicle race.
Toyota, which owns a significant share in Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s owner, has for the first time confirmed plans for its own battery-powered-only car to be released in the early 2010s. Meanwhile, Subaru is slightly ahead having announced fleet sales of a four-seat electric car starting next year.
The reason behind the push? Both companies are getting worried that Nissan and Mitsubishi will become the leaders in the next generation of electric-cars, which many view as the only sustainable future of automobiles.
Speaking of Nissan, the company has previously made clear plans to launch an electric vehicle in the US by 2010. Mitsubishi is not far behind with plans of a 2010 launch of its electric iMiEV in Japan, followed by Europe and the US.
Nonetheless, Toyota is still concerned about the performance of electric-only cars. The company has previously stated that an electric car is limited by battery performance and the company’s R&D chief Masatami Takimoto said the electric vehicle’s range would be limited by the performance of today’s batteries.
“For the time being, the most realistic approach is to use pure electric vehicles for short-distance travel,” Takimoto said. “So in the early stage of the 2010s, we would like to offer a compact, very small electric vehicle on a small scale basis.”
Subaru will be basing next year’s electric car on the ‘Stella’, a tiny 660cc minicar currently only sold in Japan. The design will not change much on the outside, still seating four, but the car will now run on lithium-ion batteries.
If you remember, we previously mentioned Automotive Energy Supply, a joint venture between Nissan, NEC and NEC Tokin. The company will provide the lithium-ion batteries to the Subaru electric car, which is so far quoted as being able to cover 80km on a single charge.
The car’s battery can be recharged in eight hours through a regular household socket. Not feeling very inspired? Think of it this way, if you used your car to get to and from work on a daily basis, would you really cover more than 80km?
“This is the best we can do with today’s technology at a reasonable cost.” Subaru spokesman Shinichi Murata said.
We would like to know how many Ks you drive on a daily basis and whether an 80km-a-day limit would suffice if it meant no trips to the pump.
Print it: 
‘Think of it this way, if you used your car to get to and from work on a daily basis, would you really cover more than 80km?’
Think of it this way… If you plans changed during the day.. would you like to be stuck and/or embarrased by the limitations of your car. “sorry mates i cant make to the pub yet, my cars recharging?” Do you think they might laugh at you? Good for the inner city bad for suburbia..
Yeah I drive between 70 and 90km depending on which way I drive. That’s door to door.
Hardly enough breathing room. Granted there are 35km of suburbia between me and work, so there would be thousands of people who could commute to work in one of these, but I don’t think anyone would want to.
It is almost as bad as being tied to public transport. Forget about changes of plan during the day. You have to go to and from work as you do on a train, so you may as well catch a train and save yourself some parking money.
This is a real inner city solution and even then people are more likely to walk, ride, catch public transport and not own a vehicle.
I’d rather ride a scooter in that case.
I don’t really like the concept of plug in cars. Even though you may not use up all the charge in one day, you’ll still have to plug it in every night, so that you’d have enough charge to do stuff the next day. At least with a petrol powered car you’d only have to fill up once a week.
looking at the R1e, Subaru’s circa 1960s S60 is back with electric power and that much-maligned koala nose making this concept about 3 pipeline years old?
Again, I think much the same. Leave the extension cord for the caravan…………….
Agree with all of the above, I drive 60 – 70 km to and from work a day, with a big stretch of 110kmh driving. Just an electric car wouldn’t work for me at all. I remember in a Motor mag (I was really really bored, don’t hate me) they worked out that to drive a iMieV in Australia with our current high level of coal power, the equivalent CO2 per kilometre travelled was 110g/km, and that was going by the manufacturers range claim which would be under ideal conditions, so if fact you’d get less than that. So with some new turbo diesels getting under that now, with the benefit of massive range, electric cars don’t make any sense. They make even less sense than hybrids, if thats possible.
A bit different for me, i live about 1k away from work. (Takes around 3 mins depending if I get a green light)
The most driving we do as a family is on the weekend.
At 6ft 4 and 122kg I just don’t think I would fit.
What happens if you have an emergency while the cars battery is low?, say i need to make a dash to the hospital for my son?
You ring an ambulance…
If these are aimed at the ‘Inner City’ user, how will the owner recharge it.
Town Houses / Units / Flats:
None of my friends that live in inner city in any of the above have off street parking, let alone a spot in front of their place. Will they need to carry a 100 metre extension cord with them???????? And then whats to stop someone unplugging it and recharging their car while you sleep????? Seriously.. no chance of recharging!!
Apartments:
Yes most inner city apartments have an underground car spot, but none of those spots has an electrical connection…. Yet. And if they do, it will not have a metre on it so there is no way the body corporate will let you use it to recharge your car. And who is going to pay for a metre to get installed.
At the moment due to charging limitations, the only way these things will work is in the suburbs, and only once they get a better range, and only if you have off street parking!
I like the idea of ‘clean’ electric cars (although Victoria does not have much access to clean electricity) but 80km on one charge probably wouldn’t cut it for me.
Right now I’m doing at least 80km a day with weeks like this one reaching double that.
I think it’d work for some people – probably the majority – but for myself I’d have to stick with conventional fuels until the technology gets better.
I’d need a really big boot to carry the 145 kilometre long extension cord.
Maybe I could carry a petrol driven generator in the boot so I could re charge the batteries on route……?
Or, when I’m in Melbourne, fit up some good roof racks, a steel stick, some insulation tape, and hook up to one of those over head tram thingies that connects the tram to the power grid.
I’m an ideas guy eh.
Even if you drove less than 80km a day, there would be times where you need to go further, meaning you basically need to have a second car.
The money you’d save on having 1 car that can cater for both situations would more than offset the additional price you have to pay for electricity.
Agree with all the comments, and with Taki’s comment batteries these days make this car too limited in its sense. In melbourne inner city sprawl, youd rather cycle, tram it, or scooter it.
Perhaps it can be boltered with solar panel to give a bit or recharge whilst driving parked outside during the day…
and lol imagine there was a natural disaster and you need to flee, power is out and need to get well over 100km just to be safe… :(
^^^ I meant to say petrol, not electricity
supercujo,
He said for.. not with.
All these cars sound like ‘experimental’ tech. ok if your spending 2k on a new kinda TV or something but not 20k on tranport.
Who will build the Electric model T for the masses and make a trillion?
I think the Subaru pictured is actually the new WRX sedan.
It’s hot!
Can’t wait to see the STI version.
Too bad they use the old Tribecca grill, but I reckon this model will make us all happy.
Well done Subaru.
supercujo,
Obviously you don’t have kids; my son recently required an ambulance and had to be taken to Nambour Hospital several klms way. My wife was allowed to travel with him but my older son and I could not so I had to follow. Now if my new electric car was low on juice I wouldn’t have been able to be by his side. Think before you blog champ….
Danman, that will likely be Ratan Tata
Anyone who lives one kilometre form work should bloody walk. Lazy bastards. The battery technology will get better and they will start making electric cars which aren’t outcasts in the styling department. By then it will be 2015, petrol will be $3.50 a litre and electric cars will be well accepted and mainstream.
I agree with that if your car was low on juice then you would be shit outta luck, but you didn’t put those additional constraints into the initial post.
And anyway, several kilometres to Nambour Hospital is not too far to ride a bike.
And don’t worry, I think before I blog. Incomplete information is a downer though…
“2015, petrol will be $3.50″ – perhaps in todays dollars? as I would think more…
With the rate of population growth and greater demand, i reckon $7 to $10
WVB,
you dont say much but when you do you are spot on!
Given the IT industry strengh of that country and even the cyclical nature of their dominant religon,that would be a good guess..
Who had heard of Ratan 3 years ago..
Can’t wait to see the Hyundai LPG Hybrid!
What is needed is an Electric motor drive(no gearbox less weight etc) with a stationary lpg engine optimised to run at constant rpm when required to charge the batteries with a plug in facility for small trips.
Can’t really see what the development hold up is as most of this tech is already on the shelf.
A decent Electrical Engineer could design basic schematic in a couple of hours with ratings etc.
I mean back yarders have made successful same!
Good in theory – implementation will be an issue. As mentioned already-
1. Power is expensive and dirty in Australia – not a significant saving here.
2. Suburbian flats/units/appartments – without provision for recharge, will not be feasible. (I live in a unit block with a carport – shared by all tennents, room for 1 car each, 2nd is parked in the yard).
3. The larger distances most assies cover is a problem. Frankly – those that travel less than 10km/day probably do so along a route that could use public transport. Or, RIDE A BIKE! Otherwise, I do ~60km a day, completely out of metro route to location where there is no public transport. A car is a must. I would use bus/train or bike if it was possible (well, easier).
4. We all need a real car for the weekend anyway…
All the tech is on the shelf I should say.
Pretty lame given the resources these companies have at their disposal.
P.S electronics another 20 hours or so.
Not hard to have all weather power points fitted with security!
Hydrogen possibly the ultimate but who knows if present oil companies or someone will commit to the new infrastructure required?
Power being expensive and dirty well that is evolving at the same time as well. Got to start somewhere.
Salesman u sound like a big fat f$%^k. How many chins.LOL
Realcars,
You are on the mark I reckon.
Has anyone here heard of the power maker?. New to the market it is mostly used by the Australian Army and a mining company called Ground Probe. It is a small diesel generator that works with solar too keep batteries charged. Okay you are still using diesel but it only kicks in when batteries are low, so if you miss a charge or need some extra juice you won’t be stuck.
Realcars,
Only one chin, the weight is not made up of fat.
Supercujo,
Fair call, I thought the point was made clear.
Still too far for me to ride a bike though, and a bit too slow when you are in a panic….
Well maybe Toybaru should put solar panels on the roof…Just in case of an emergency. Then you can buy an electric car Salesman.
Really though, what happened to Tesla’s innovation.
Subaru are saying this is the latest technology (essentially you can like it or lump it) but read on the following link and it totally puts egg on the face of the big manufacturers.
http://www.teslamotors.com/eff.....teries.php
Realcars,
That is the most offensive comment yet on this site.. You should apogise. A realman would….
I’m 6′3″ and 110 kg.
you wouldn’t like us when we are angry.
See how he complimented you and you simultaniusly (sic) insulted him… well done!
Fenno,
Yes, you champion. I forgot all about the Telsa. Check out the You Tube video of the guy trying to turn on the radio as the driver takes off. The G’s are hitting so hard he can’t lean forward….
Hey guys, arguing on the Internet is like winning a gold medal at the special Olympics…….even if you “WIN” you are still retarded
Well im off for the weekend with a v8 and a fuelcard. 260kw and no cost.. ahhhh love it.
Take care guys..
I’m looking forward to the electric car Bathurst 1000. Four laps followed by a four-hour recharge. Gripping stuff.
Everyone complaining of the impracticality of electric cars just don’t get it.
No-one, apart from do-gooder greenies, will buy one unless they have to. You would be mad otherwise.
It will take the following for them to take off.
Fuel prices sky rocketing and electricity prices stabilising
City restrictions on petrol cars
Free curb recharging in cities (already happening in places)
Plus other measures
Otherwise the electric car is a dodo
U are too sensitive Dan the Man especially for someone that purports to play with minds on a daily basis.LOL.
I suspect u and Salesman can give as good as u take.LOL
It is the new Subaru Impreza WRX pictured above. Nice job Subie, this is a much improved version of the current WRX .
Battery-only cars don’t really make any sense – either economically nor are they in any fashion significantly better at avoiding gasoline or emissions than a 40 mile range electric car with a range extender, like the Volt. What they do mean is that you must but, insure, maintain and garage at least two cars. THAT’s why they make no economic sense. Also, the extreme battery discharges that are required meanthe batteries won’t last half as long as those in the Volt, and will cost over $20,000, making the battery-only vehicle even more absurd economically. The Mitsubishi will cost as much as the Chevy Volt and have none of the Volt’s practicality. Automakers are building battery-onlies for one and only one reason – they are easy to design and develop. Unfortunatey, they represent no advance over the obsolete technology that died before World War One. When the deceived public learns of just how primitive and exensive this technology is, the automakers will understand why nobody built pure EVs for the past century.
kerry bradshaw said “Automakers are building battery-onlies for one and only one reason – they are easy to design and develop”
How hard is to simply add a small motor to charge the battery? You could almost just add a Briggs & Stratton powered generator in the boot.
The Volt is no big deal and in fact not even in production or even fully designed yet.
When the EV1 (Version 1) came out it could do about 100-120 km per charge and now they are trying to tell us that 15 to 18 years latter that the best they can do is 80 km per charge, this is a load of crap.
As Fenno said look at the Tesla 250KM range.
When I first start racing electric Radio control cars (1992) 1200 to 1400 mah sub C NICAD batteries where all we had now we have 5000 mah LIPO batties which are lighter and have a better charge to power rating plus you get 5 times the run time, so why are 1/10th scale going full speed ahead and 1/1 scale cars are going backwards.
Plus the older brushed motor compared to the newer brushless motors is chalk and cheese run cooler, higher RPM, less power usage
So if the batteries are better and the motors are better why isnt the KM/ charge better??????????????????????????
“I think the Subaru pictured is actually the new WRX sedan.
It’s hot!”
time to get your eyesight checked my friend.
I don’t see why the Volt wouldn’t be the answer.
It suits the short trips on electric only power, & would suit The Salesman if he was caught short & needed to get to the Nambour Hospital.
As long as it had reasonable fuel capacity for the engine that recharges the batteries, why couldn’t you do an Interstate trip in a Volt?
The tech involved could easily be installed in a conventional car such as a VE or FG, or even a Getz or Yaris. That gets round the issue of not everyone liking the styling of the Volt.
With the rumoured optional solar panels forthe Volt, a trickle charge free from the Sun when parked would extend the electric only driving rage further still.
I reckon a Volt-like drive system, recharged by a small motor running on Hydrogen, would be the ultimate.
^ ihatemylifedotcomdotau
You don’t happen to think I was being maybe just a tad sarcastic about this being the new WRX? In any event, it doesn’t look any worse.
On the second take, the Subaru looks a bit like a Micra???
i own 3 pizza shops, my drivers do about 50-80kms a night, i would consider these as company cars if the price is right!
as for me, i can’t wait for the Tesla to hit AU
the only suggestion i have for all EV cars is they incorporate the sound of capacitors charging or something like that before taking off, that’d be sik ( think a flash in a camera charging for the dumb asses)