Subaru unveils Stella EV small electric car

Subaru announced the launch of its plug-in Subaru Stella electric vehicle for the Japanese market. The Subaru EV is equipped with a high-performance lithium-ion battery. The model will be sold in Japan directly through Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s parent company. Delivery will start from late July and around 170 units of delivery in total will be planned till March 2010.

The Subaru Plug-in Stella, weighing only 2220 lbs, is based on the Subaru Stella mini car. It combines the EV system with the compact and light body, achieving a 56-mile range.

The EV can be re-charged up to 80% of its capacity in 15 minutes using the quick charging system, whereas it’s also fully rechargeable in 8 hours with AC100V household power outlet or 5 hours with AC200V. The car not only offers zero CO2 emissions during driving but also dramatically reduced level of CO2 produced in the process of electric generation, compared to the petrol engine vehicle’s emissions level.

The electric motor of the EV, mounted in the engine room, generates 47kW of maximum power output. The Subaru plug-in EV offers powerful and smooth acceleration, making full use of the advantages of the electric motor. It generates maximum torque from the start. It also recovers inertia energy in deceleration through a regeneration system, which further enhances the energy efficiency.

The Subaru Plug-in Stella is priced at the equivalent of $49,100 in Japan, and it is more expensive than the new Toyota Prius even after government subsidies reduce the price by 25%.

There is always the chance that future iterations of the Stella will come to the U.S. after the success of similar small cars for other manufacturers.

 

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