Electric Car Development in Japan

09/09/96

Comline has reported that Daihatsu Motor, Kansai Electric, and other companies have developed a new electric car that runs on nickel hydroxide batteries. Matsushita Electric has also developed a motor for use with electric cars, and will begin producing it next spring. Toyota will begin marketing an electric car in the near future. The industry is quickly moving towards automobiles with lower pollution impact, like electric vehicles and cars that run on natural gas.

Daihatsu, Kansai Electric, Toshiba and Japan Battery have cooperated to develop Daihatsu's Charade Social EV since 1993. The Charade's nickel hydroxide battery has better acceleration (up to 120 kph) and longer running distance (120 km) than more conventional lead batteries.

Paul Dever -- The Auto Channel