Eco-car development takes off among Japanese automakers

Japanese automakers are competing to develop electric vehicles with cutting edge functions and designs, eyeing an era when high-performance eco-friendly vehicles are widely used. Previously imaginary vehicle operations could become possible as functions and designs are totally different because gasoline has been replaced by other power sources such as motor, an official of Nissan Motor Co. said. Nissan’s Pivo 2 electric vehicle is equipped with four tires that can rotate 90 degrees to allow the model to move sideways like a crab, ideal for parallel parking. Toyota Motor Co. has focused on designing a vehicle that can turn at a tight angle, with its ultra small electric model FT-EVII. By contrast, Honda Motor Co. has opted for driving performance with its new hydrogen-powered fuel cell automobile, the FCX Clarity. The model, which the company has started leasing out in Japan and the United States, has minimized wind resistance thanks to a downsized battery and aerodynamic front body design. (May 9, 2010)