First thought upon seeing the EV Himiko: What a beauty. But what lurks inside the classic roadster and what it might be capable of doing make it downright fascinating. With 168 lithium polymer cells it boasts a range approaching 550 kilometers (km) – around 341 miles – on a single charge, according to a report from DigInfo TV.
Red Ferret posted on the electric vehicle and Auto Blog added details about it.
Apparently, a company called TGMY took Mitsuoka Motor Co.’s lovely roadster and shucked the 2.0 liter DOHC gasoline engine, giving it an AC induction motor and controller from Azure Dynamics.
The car was shown at the 2011 Japan EV Show, where the DigInfo report was shot.
“We’ve spent a long time reducing the running resistance of the car, and improving its performance per unit energy,” TGMY CEO Takashi Ashida is quoting as saying.
“We’re reached the stage where 500 km is definitely realistic.”
Specs on the car – including the price – are not yet available, but according to the DigInfo report, TGMY will begin taking orders for the vehicle in the second half of this year.
