Home | News | Road Tests Subaru Stella Sparks Changes Subaru's electric car ..... the Stella Home > News > Subaru 20th April, 2009 An upgraded version of Subaru’s Plug-in Stella electric car will be launched in Japan mid-2009. Power is increased by seven kilowatts to 47 kW, torque is up 20 newtonmetres to 170 Nm and the body is 50 kilogrammes lighter. The sophisticated lithium ion battery pack is smaller and the energy output management refined. The instrument panel and interior have also been changed. Fifteen examples of the latest prototype are to be tested by Japan’s Ministry of the Environment. They will be used by five prefectural and city governments: four by Kanagawa Prefecture, three each by Aichi Prefecture, Osaka Prefecture and Hyogo Prefecture, and one each by Yokohama City and Japan Post Service Co., Ltd. Specifications of the production version are expected to be the same as the latest prototype. An earlier prototype has been seen in Australia. Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI), the maker of Subaru vehicles, jointly developed the earlier Subaru R1e electric vehicle with the Tokyo Electric Power Co., Inc. in 2006. Using knowledge gained through the R1e project, FHI successfully developed the original concept version of the Plug-in Stella in June 2008. Five were used at the Hokkaido Toyako Summit and by the Japan Post group for mail collection and delivery. FHI plans to test-market production models of plug-in Stella from July this year in Japan. Around 170 are planned for delivery during this fiscal year. Pricing is yet to be announced. Plug-in Subaru Stella updated specifications: Dimensions (Length x Width x Height) 3,395 mm × 1,475 × 1,660 Curb weight 1,010 kg Passenger seating 4 Max.speed 100 km/h Per-charge driving distance 80 km Electric motor Permanent magnet synchronous system Max. power output 47 kW Max. torque 170 Nm Drive-train Front-wheel drive Battery type Lithium-ion batteries Total voltage 346 V Total energy 9 kWh Hear Chris Goodsell Talk Motoring On Radio & Internet ..... more More Subaru News ..... here About | Car Clubs | Home | News | Road Ramblings | Road Tests | Subscribe | Top Drive ©   2009   All rights reserved.   Next Car Pty. Ltd.