The "C·ta," a lightweight three-seater electric vehicle
A cabin made of polycarbonate resin is combined with a bathtub-like CFRP body.
Japan Automobile Research Institute (JARI) developed the "C·ta," a lightweight three-seater electric vehicle whose body is made of carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP).
The vehicle was completed in March 2009 and exhibited at Tokyo Motor Show 2009 and SAMPE JAPAN 2009. JARI designed the vehicle, and GH Craft Ltd manufactured its body. A cylindrical cabin made of polycarbonate resin is combined with a bathtub-like CFRP body, a CFRP bumper and so forth.
The C·ta measures 2,650 (L) x 1,400 (W) x 1,525mm (H). Each of its four wheels is equipped with an in-wheel motor with a rated output of 2kW. And the motors are driven by a lithium-ion battery whose voltage and capacity are 129.5V and 5kWh, respectively. The weight of the vehicle is 300kg without the battery, which weighs 40kg.
The vehicle runs about 125km on the Japan's 10·15 test mode, which is 25km per 1kWh. Mitsubishi Motors Corp's i-MiEV electric vehicle is mounted with a battery with a capacity of 16kWh and can run 160km (10km per 1kWh).
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