OK, Toyota finally starts selling BEV... sort of

Smart and kei cars can manage over 60mph, so why not?

 

The Smart is not particularly efficient. The fortwo model has an EPA rating of 36 mpg‑US according to Wiki.

I noticed that the early KEI cars had a lower (~25 mph) speed limit that was eventually bumped up (~35 mph) higher and higher (~87 MPH).

One of the advantages of a citicar (or KEI) is that lower speeds allow safe driving with fewer safety features.

I'd be quite content with a 25 MPH electric citicar if I did not already have the Prime.

 

The smart EV shows that such a small car can be a fully capable electric. Limited to low speeds, it might even have longer range than this BEV.

Lesser safety features isn't a selling point when it is sharing roads with cars over 3000 pounds. Even at just 25mph, something like the Highlander would transfer a lot of energy into this.

That's why I brought up the Zebra earlier. Toyota's new BEV isn't anymore advanced than a high power golf cart.

It's great for locations where it can work, and is legal, but such places already had the golf carts and Gems running about for years.

 

On the positive side an NEV is exempt from the $665 title + registration EV fee increase

so you could actually save some cash

my Subaru 360 (developed in the late 40’s) hits 75mph so early KEI cars must be very very early, KEI is mainly size and displacement relate

Also the US just got the wrong smart car the CDIs in Canada were 80mpg affairs


Citicar - Wikipedia

 

My average in the Camry is around 35mph. Some of that is from long trips on the highway, but some is trips over 40.

How often do you get near 40? The 37 mph limit is likely a physical one, not one governed. So driving near it won't be fun, and reaching it will take longer than in a Prius.

 

Turns out the price for the C+pod starts higher than the Yaris on Japan.

 

That's pretty close to my average speed, too. But that just tells me how bad our traffic engineers and civil planners are because the vast majority of my driving time is fairly evenly split between 50 mph and 0 mph. Well, actually most of the time is either decelerating for a stop or accelerating from a stop on the way (if there's time) to 50-60 mph which I might get to maintain for as much as 45 seconds. A car that can only go 37 mph (and not get there pretty quickly, I'd guess) would most likely get me shot around here.

 

Hmmm. Save money by buying something I can't possibly use. Sounds like something the government might do.

 

No reason why they'll always be.

The GEM 2 seater with Li-ion is just as expensive. That battery, near C+pod's capacity, is an option that doubles the GEM's price. Toyota is likely paying the same, small scale price for the batter

Kei cars are far cheaper, and Toyota makes them. They could make the car body and motor for less with larger production. With a better battery supply, they can get far better pricing than the $1000 a kWh they seem to be charging.

EVs are only expensive in the short term, or if you don't prepare to make them. The base ID.3 has a pre-tax price of around $25000. It ain't Yaris cheap, but EVs will get there

 

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We live in a neighborhood seperated from town by a few miles of highway. 60km/h top speed would be a deal breaker for us, we need at least 100km/h. Even 100km/h would be a bit slow for the first little bit because the limit is 70mph for a little while before it slows down to 55mph. I could make due with 100km/h but I wouldn't be happy about it.