Electric vehicle is the best solution to reduce emission from cars, however the low range and the lack of charging station is a knockdown, read the full story from Bernamabelow.
BUMPY FUTURE FOR ELECTRIC CARS
TOKYO, –Japanese automakers are increasingly looking to electric vehicles but face a bumpy road ahead in their quest for growth in the zero-emission field, Japan’s Jiji Press reported.
Mitsubishi Motors Corp. and Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd. will start delivering their electric cars, the i-MiEV and the Plug-in Stella, respectively, late next month. Nissan Motor Co. plans to launch its own model next year.
Battery-powered electric vehicles are considered an ultimate eco-friendly option for motorists because they are free from greenhouse gas emissions while driving.
But they cannot drive as long as gasoline-powered vehicles do, a disadvantage that could limit the use of electric vehicles to short trips.
The i-MiEV can travel 160 kilometers on a single charge, only a third of what a gasoline vehicle can run per pump.
In addition, a lack of battery-charging stations makes it inconvenient to use electric vehicles.
Mitsubishi’s president, Osamu Masuko, said his company would cooperate with supermarkets and convenience stores to increase the number of battery chargers.
Automakers also need to cooperate with the central and local governments to make available as much charging stations as possible.
Another big problem is high costs involved. The i-MiEV retails for 4,599,000 yen, or 2,990,000 yen even after state subsidies are used.
Mitsubishi aims to lower the price to less than 2 million yen as early as possible by increasing economies of scale through higher production. It plans to boost the percentage of electric vehicles in its overall auto production to 20 pct by 2020.
Research firm Fuji Keizai Co. said electric vehicles are unlikely to go mainstream until late 2020s or 2030s. (RM1=27.96 yen)
Your English are terrible
Its look like hamster. Cute body. I like the back light, its float.