SIM-LEI
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SIM-LEI EV gets a video walk-through: shaped like a fish, has a big screen (video)
We got our first whiff of the SIM-LEI, an EV from across the Pacific, in March. Back then it was just an oddly shaped prototype with an impressive range of 207 miles and a top speed of 93mph. With the SIM-Drive's concept marching closer to a planned production date sometime in 2013 the company is finally giving a more detailed look at the car at the 2011 Electrical Vehicle Industrial Exhibition. The tapered, fish-like shape reduces drag, but the tiny coefficient of 0.91 couldn't be reached without shrinking the mirrors to their legal limit. The SIM-LEI compensates for the minuscule side and rear-view reflectors with a trio of cameras that feed video to the 19-inch (yes, we said 19-inch) monitor in the dashboard. Check out the video after the break for a complete tour of its advanced motoring tech.
SIM-Drive's SIM-LEI electric car achieves 207-mile driving range in Japan
Manufacturers are constantly optimising the driving range for electric vehicles, and sure enough, a Japanese startup recently made a breakthrough with its first prototype. Dubbed the SIM-LEI, this cute four-seater from SIM-Drive sips juice off a Toshiba 24.9kWh lithium ion battery, and can go from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in just 4.8 seconds, with maximum speed topping at 150km/h (93mph). What's more impressive, though, is that SIM-Drive managed to squeeze out a driving range of 333km (207 miles) on a JC-08 cycle (a standardised test that simulates driving in congested Japanese city traffic), putting the LEI well ahead of its competitors on the chart -- Nissan's Leaf does about 100 miles, for instance. Sadly, mass-production won't kick off until 2013, which should hopefully let the others do a bit of catching up with this remarkable newcomer.
