Suzuki to test electric scooter

Suzuki Motor Corp. said it would test a plug-in electric motorcycle in Japan starting September. The test will involve a prototype named the e-Let’s, based on the 50cc gasoline scooter, Let’s4 basket. Equipped with a Sanyo Electric Co. lithium-ion battery system, the e-Let’s can travel up to about 30 kilometers on a full power charge from a home wall outlet, which takes about four hours. Suzuki also plans to use the e-Let’s in a joint trial with the central Japan city of Hamamatsu starting this autumn. (September 24, 2010)