18 March 2010

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Subaru R1e – electric cars

It’s not often a vehicle scoops awards before it even hits the roads – but that is the case with the Subaru R1e, with the manufacturer receiving a top award from Japan’s minister of the environment for helping to prevent global warming. Indeed its parent company Fuji Heavy Industries also received the 2006 commendation for global warming prevention activity.

So with such significant hype, what can we expect when the Subaru R1e is released?

Quick links:

History of the Subaru R1e
Environmental credentials of the Subaru R1e
Subaru R1e statistics
Future of the Subaru R1e

History of the Subaru R1e

The Subaru R1 was first released in 2005 – designed to fit within the Japanese keicar tax bracket. It was basically a two-door version of the R2, but with a shorter body and wheelbase. The R1 has since formed the basis for the Subaru R1e, an electric vehicle that employs lithium-ion batteries to provide an extended range and that can be recharged to around 80 per cent of its capacity in just 15 minutes.

There were 10 prototypes for the Subaru R1e built, which have undergone testing from a Japanese power company. The company will have around 3,000 of these vehicles built for it and used within 2008, although sales will not begin to regular consumers for several years.

Japan’s minister of the environment highlighted numerous qualities surrounding the Subaru R1e – in particular that it has a high density lithium-ion battery that can be recharged quickly; it has a convenient high-speed charger; and it eliminates the need for a large quantity of heavy and bulky batteries.

One of the main attractions of the Subaru R1e, is that it offers substantial fuel efficiency compared to even hybrid cars. Daytime charging costs are half that of a hybrid car and when using cheaper night-time electricity, charging is one fifth less than for a hybrid.

Environmental credentials of the Subaru R1e

Electric cars are receiving intense interest from environmental enthusiasts as zero emission vehicles. However, though they emit no carbon dioxide (CO2) directly, it can be questioned whether they can be described as truly emission free given that much of their energy is produced from non-renewable sources such as coal. Until electricity comes from 100 per cent renewable energy, they can perhaps not be described as completely emission free – nevertheless, even at current mix levels electric cars are substantially more environmentally friendly than conventional petrol or diesel cars.

Where the Subaru R1e has attracted particular interest, is that it uses modern battery technology and therefore can provide a more extensive range and a shorter battery recharging time than most vehicles in its mould. This should appeal to a wider group of motorists. The car has a top speed of around 62mph and a 50mile range after an eight hour charge time. The battery life is said to be at least 124,000 miles – or around 10 years.

There are financial incentives too for drivers of a Subaru R1e – namely that the vehicle is exempt from vehicle excise duty and free from the London Congestion Charge.

Subaru R1e statistics

Here are some crucial statistics about the Subaru R1e:

Charge time: Eight hours.
CO2 emissions: None.
Range: 50 miles.
Top speed: 62mph.

Future of the Subaru R1e

The Subaru R1e is expected to go on sale to customers in 2010. A four-door version, the G4e, is also expected to follow. We’ll have more information as it breaks in the news section of TheGreenCarWebsite.co.uk.