The B2B platform for full-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles: Industry News

Share your knowledge, combine your resources, realise synergies and achieve together more - the open source approach which resulted in quicker available better computer programmes for less money spreads over to the EV world. A Japanese consortium around a university professor proposes an open source platform to push EV technology and develop a cost-competitive electric vehicle with a 190 miles range.

SIM-Drive (Shimizu In-Wheel Motor Drive) is the name of the venture founded in September 2009 by a Japanese university professor from Keio University. Environmental engineer by training, Hiroshi Shimizu has gained his reputation in the field of electric mobility through his 20 years experience in the field and his revolutionary concept of the in-wheel motor which opens up completely new possibilities for design and structure of electric vehicles (EVs). The first realisation of this concept was the Eliica, a powerful, eight-wheeled super car with a 230 mph (370 km/h) top speed. Each of the eight wheels is driven by a 60kW (80 hp) electric motor.

Open source: lower price - user friendly - massive uptake

However, Hiroshi Shimizu's real ambition is to build an electric vehicle for mass consumption - user friendly and reasonably priced. The SIM-Drive venture is supposed to pave the way for achieving this goal by creating a consortium of stakeholders, drawing upon their collective knowledge and expertise to create an EV for the masses.

32 companies (for a great part battery and technology companies) and municipalities have teamed up so far, cutting-edge expertise in vehicle engineering and assembly coming mainly from Mitsubishi and Isuzu. Each company has agreed to invest 221,000 dollars into the SIM-Drive venture and designate an engineer to work jointly in venture until a prototype is produced, tested and market ready. In return, each company receives access to any new technologies developed by the group. SIM-Drive will license those same technologies to other manufacturers to push for mass market entry of EVs and to help turn a profit.

Low price but high performance

The imminent goal of SIM-Drive is the development of a cost-competitive yet well performing EV with at least 190 (but possible up to 300) miles of range by 2011, with mass production (~ 100,000 units) starting by 2013 and a competitive price of less then 1.5 million Yen (around 12,000 euro). Future vehicles can be two, four or even -- as in the case of the Ellican -- eight-wheel powered. The wheel powered drive makes heavy engine and power transmission systems unnecessary and reduces the loss of mechanical energy, therefore increasing the range of the lithium-ion battery powered vehicle substantially. Batteries (which are not included in the calculated price and will most probably be leased), controllers and other subsystems will be embedded in a hollow floor pan and flat aluminum frames, opening up room for cabin rearrangements or even more compact vehicles.