The Keio Advanced Zero-Emmision Vehicle (KAS) has surfaced with a second-generation model named the Eliica, which stands for electric lithium-ion car. Developed by a team at Keio University headed by Professor Hiroshi Shimizu, the Eliica has four axles with eight wheels. No reason for the extra set of axles is given, though perhaps they're needed when the vehicle is traveling at its top speed of 230 mph, which actually was reached one day last year at the Nardo in Italy.The Eliica takes 10 hours to charge and will travel 125 miles on a charge. It can accelerate to 62 mph in 4.1 seconds, after which we imaging you'd need to recharge it again. The team's goal is beat the top speed of the Bugatti Veyron and produce 200 units of the Eliica for people like George Clooney and that ex-Baywatch babe who still drives an EV1.
Though it looks to be limousine length, the Eliica actually only seats the driver and three passengers – small consolation is that at an approximate US$320,000 a unit in prototype form, the car will still be in a limousine price range when manufactured in production quantities.
The Eliica was shown in two guises at the Tokyo Motor Show recently – one a roadgoing prototype and the other a record-breaking speedster.
Naturally enough, the Eliica roadgoing prototype aims to offer the ultimate environment and safety standards – power will be available by plugging into the mains electricity where it will take 10 hours to take on a full charge which should offer the 2,400kg Eliica a range of 200 kilomtres.
The final configuration of the Eliica is supposed to be either a four seater sedan that outperforms a sport car, or a sport car that offers the space and ride comfort of an SUV or "cross-over vehicle".
The 370km/h record-breaker was also on show in Tokyo boasting an acceleration time from 0 to 100km/h of 4.1seconds and 0 to 160km/h of just 7.0seconds.
