daihatsu

Electric car goes 623 miles on single charge

A car group in Tokyo recently drove an electric car 1,003.184 kilometers (about 623 miles) on a single charge, breaking its own record for greatest distance traveled without recharging.

The Japan Electric Vehicle Club has asked Guinness World Records to certify the event, held at a track in Shimotsuma, Ibaraki Prefecture, last month.

The modified Daihatsu Mira ran on a Sanyo lithium ion power system containing more than 8,320 batteries. The car ran for 27.5 hours at about 25 mph. Seventeen drivers took turns at the wheel.

Guinness recognized the club's 345-mile journey from Tokyo … Read more

Photos: Compact cars in Geneva

Small is big in the automotive world lately as new and existing manufacturers scramble to downsize in the face of tough emissions regulations and changing consumer tastes. At this week's Geneva auto show, we took a look at some of the latest micro cars destined for forecourts around the world. Check out our photos.

Click here for our coverage of the 2008 Geneva auto show.

Video: Daihatsu Mud Master-C concept

Mud Master-C may not rap, but it does all right off-road. This concept uses a body-on-frame design, with lots of clearance underneath for tackling rough surfaces. At the Tokyo auto show, the concept was shown adapted for carrying mountain bikes, but Daihatsu can build it for all sorts of uses.

Photos: The wildest concept cars from Tokyo

Although none of these cars are likely to make it to production, they represent some of the most interesting, or, possibly, aberrant, ideas in automotive design. From the Nissan R.D/B.X, designed to let its occupants interact, to the Honda Puyo with its gel-covered body, these concepts are as wild as they come.

Click here for photos of wild concept cars at the 2007 Tokyo auto show.