The competition among EV producers in Japan is heating up in summer 2009 with Mitsubishi, Subaru and other competitors rushing to sell their innovative cars. We wrote about the Mitsubishi i-MiEV rollout yesterday that will distribute about 1,400 units to government officials and businesses by spring 2010. Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI) is pushing Mitsubishi into the market by selling the Subaru Stella plug-in EV through Japanese dealers in July.
The Subaru Stella is a four-seat, front-wheel drive EV that has evolved from the conventional Stella minicar introduced in 2006. The Stella EV is powered by a lithium-ion battery pack from FHI as well as a 47kW electric motor. Japanese drivers will be able to travel up to 56 miles per charge at maximum speeds of 62 miles per hour. FHI and Subaru tout the quick-charge capabilities of the Stella EV, claiming that the lithium-ion battery can be recharged to 80% within 15 minutes using public charging stations. Subaru also touts a five-hour charging time using a conventional 200V outlet.
FHI and Subaru have planned a more modest rollout of its EV than Mitsubishi. The Subaru Stella EV will be available to fleet buyers starting in late July 2009 through March 2010. FHI only plans to create 170 units of the Stella EV to start, holding back its resources until the first-generation EV has been put through the ringer. The sticker price for a Subaru Stella EV will be $49,000 with a $14,300 tax credit available through the Japanese government’s “Next Generation Vehicle Promotion” program.
Early criticisms of the Stella plug-in EV include its limited speed, range and production output. These criticisms apply expectations of traditional vehicles in vehicle-friendly environments to an electric-powered minicar in Japan. The compact layouts of Japanese cities require small vehicles that can fit into tight spaces and use frequent stops and starts to their advantage. Subaru, Mitsubishi and other Japanese manufacturers have conducted enough testing to know that EV ranges of less than 100 miles will not act as a deterrent to prospective consumers. The Subaru Stella has already been road tested in its conventional form, leaving the EV drive system as the only X factor. Once the first round of Subaru Stella EVs has been produced, FHI and Subaru will no doubt work on amplifying its range and power for the global market.
