The carmaker now plans to use the concept vehicle in the development and test-marketing of the next generation of electric vehicles in Japan. The vehicle was developed jointly by Subaru and utility company Tokyo Electric Power.
Despite its diminutive size, the concept vehicle can seat four adults and reach a top speed of 80km/h. It weighs in at just 1,060kg and can drive up to 80km on a single charge. Power comes from a 40kW electric motor with 150Nm of instantaneous torque that runs on lithium-ion batteries.
The R1e concept, powered by the same electric powertrain, has been in testing for most of the past year both in Japan and more recently in the U.S. and was crucial to developing the latest Stella concept. Key elements lifted from the R1e include its quick-charge lithium ion battery technology, which eliminates the typical problems of charge memory loss and allows partial charges and quick charges that do not decrease battery life.
Quick-charging the batteries give about 80% capacity in only 15 minutes using new technology developed with the aid of several different power utilities in Japan. The vehicle can also be fully charged overnight (eight hours) while connected to a standard household electrical outlet.