There simply has to be a word missing in the most recent press release about the unusual eight-wheeled Eliica electric car. The release ends with the line: "The team would like to receive corporate sponsorship to build 200 of the four-passenger vehicles for an estimated price of 30 million Yen or approximately $255,000." If the word "each" isn't attached, then we're talking $1,275 per vehicle - or about $159 per wheel. That's quite a bargain for a car that can go 230 mph on lithium ion batteries and has a 200 mile range. On the other hand, a quarter million for a vehilce with questionable sales value doesn't exactly sound right, either.

In any case, the Eliica idea has been kicking around since 2003 from the mind of Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu, who's been building electric cars for 20 years. The car is a project from Keio University. We've previously seen the car blow by a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo on the drag strip and had a more in-depth introduction to the vehicle in this video.


[Source: EVWorld]

Shelby SuperCars, the American company behind the Ultimate Aero, the worlds fastest gas-powered production car (pictured above), has announced they will unveil the worlds fastest electric car, the Ultimate Aero EV in February of 2009. They say they won't wait years to release it to a salivating public either, giving Q4 2009 as a delivery date. They say it will have an "exotic Supercar exterior" but all engineering details are being closely held for now. The little bit they did say about the drivetrain makes us question whether or not the whole project is some sort of joke. Perhaps its just a typo. SSC claims it will feature twin 500 hp electric motors powered by a battery that won't need a charge for several years. Seriously.

If they do want to be the fastest, they will need that 1000 hp to surpass the amazing Eliica. That 8-wheeled wonder can hang with the Tesla under acceleration until the Roadster tops out around 120 and then continue on to reach 230 mph. Its secret is an 80 hp motor mounted behind each wheel. If SSC is serious about doing it "faster, leaner and cleaner than any other manufacturer", we'll let you know.

Correction: Changed six years to several years. Thanks Joseph!

[Source: Shelby SuperCars]

You may have seen our previous coverage of the Eliica eight-wheeled electric vehicle from Japan. If not, perhaps you were introduced to the vehicle by the Discovery Channel, as it was frequently seen on their show Future Car. Regardless, I hope you enjoy the above video of the vehicle, and the interviews conducted with some of the men behind the Eliica. A common thread connecting all of the electric car prototypes seen on these pages are the hardships facing the designers regarding their batteries. The Eliica team is no exception, and to help combat this problem, they are looking to create larger lithium ion batteries than are currently available. They hope that these batteries will make inroads in other fields as well, helping to lower the cost. It would certainly be great to see them succeed with this endeavor, and, the more electric vehicles we see on the roads using lithium ion technology, the less the batteries are likely to cost.

Related:

• Eliica 8-wheeler EV blows away Mitsu Evo in drag race

[Source: Youtube via Treehugger]

Thoughts of the Eliica haven't surfaced since the Tokyo Motor Show in 2005. Now it's got a spot on YouTube racing a Lancer Evo. The entire video is in Japanese and much of it features interviews with whom I assume are engineers. But it's still a treat to see an 8-wheel car in action. Of course, you can still view the Eliica Web site with tech movies, some nice photos and a blog that recently showcased the Chevy Volt, but all the copy is in Japanese. The Tokyo Motor Show returns this year (it's a bi-annual event), so perhaps a next generation concept will be on display or there is an update on the vehicle's commercial prospects.

Related:

• KAZ eight-wheeled Eliica EV supercar

[Source: YouTube]