Automotive

Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for March 2011 release

Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for March 2011 release
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
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Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
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Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
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Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
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Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
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Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
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Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
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Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
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Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
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Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
View gallery - 8 images

Japanese company Takayanagi is taking orders for its first one person electric vehicle, the Miluira. Due to be shipped in March 2011, the retro-styled all-electric car has a range of only 35 km on a full charge, a maximum speed of 37 mph (60km/h) and a rather lengthy recharge time of 12 hours.

The Miluira references the past in more than styling with a lead-acid battery chosen over modern alternatives like lithium-ion as the power source. This helps explains the uninspiring performance specs, which incidentally puts it just ahead of the 110 year old Lohner-Porsche EV (which also used lead acid batteries) in terms of top speed.

Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March

Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March
Takayanagi Miluira - Japanese retro styled EV due for release in March

At a shade over 7 feet long, the Miluira is definitely made for one and with a price tag of JPY6.3 million (US$75,000) you could say it lacks in the bang for buck department - especially if you compare it to the likes of the US$32,780, five seater Nissan LEAF or Tata's proposed US$9000 Indica Vista.

Cute? Yes. Practical? Not very.

Takayanagi via: Akihabaranews

View gallery - 8 images
4 comments
4 comments
Kajal Basu
I\'d say yank out the batteries and the electric motor and attach two pedals to it and turn it into a high-bling kiddies\' car. Why would anyone buy this piece of retrograde metal?
Matt Rings
A very expensive golf-cart. Sorta steam-punk which is kinda cool.
Mr Stiffy
This is actually quite a nice \"potter around the city\" type of car.
Small, light, cheap to run, easy to park, great for short trips......
silverneedle
looks like the sort of thing elton john might buy.