Subaru R1e

The Subaru R1e was a battery-electric microcar. The car was jointly developed with Tokyo Electric Power, the giant Japanese utility company. 10 prototypes were built and tested by Tokyo Electric Power. The vehicle had a range of 50 miles (80 km) and a top speed of 62 mph (100 km/h).

The prototype was a two-door, two seat vehicle based upon the Subaru R1 gasoline vehicle. This vehicle received intense interest from electric vehicle fans owing to its modern battery technology, appropriate size, and potential performance attributes. It also had the same grille as the 1st generation Subaru Tribeca.

The car used a lithium-ion battery which was developed in cooperation with NEC and can be recharged to 80% capacity in eight minutes using a special rapid charger, or to 100% charge in eight hours on a standard 100 V plug. Battery life is at least 10 years or 144,000-plus miles (240,000 km). Tokyo Electric Power company planned on producing 150 fast-charge stations.

Another electric prototype car, the G4e, is a follow-up to the R1e with an improved battery, range, and bolder styling.