Subaru's latest eco-car has a name that reads like a vanity license plate: G4e, which is short for "green for the earth," to reflect its zero-emissions technology. The concept will be on display at October's Tokyo auto show.
The next-generation compact electric vehicle has a 65kW motor and a newly developed battery that Subaru says can double the range of the G4e compared with Subaru's current advanced EV known as the R1e. The R1e is being jointly developed with the Tokyo Electric Power Company. So far, 40 have been delivered for testing as commuter vehicles.
The new lithium-ion battery in the G4e uses vanadium, Subaru says, which "makes it possible to significantly increase range by increasing energy density."
There also is a plug in the front bumper for a charging connector that can be used at home or for fast charging on the road.
Design-wise, the G4e has the silhouette of a triangle in a bid to denote motion. On a more practical note, it achieves a coefficient of drag of 0.28. A rearview camera is integrated into a wedge shape in the metallic trim of the A-pillar.
Inside, the vehicle is inspired by a night at the opera, with a red-and-white color scheme suggestive of VIP box seats. A large display screen that links the front window and the floor via the center of the instrument panel is intended to evoke the image of a flowing waterfall.
Subaru is also using the Tokyo auto show to unveil its first horizontally opposed common-rail fuel-injection diesel engine for passenger cars. The automaker touts its low center of gravity, low vibration without the need of a balance shaft, compact layout, and high rigidity, and claims the engine delivers good off-the-line performance with plenty of low- and midrange torque. Subaru says the turbocharged engine will go on sale next year in Europe.
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