The Driving Woman

At the NYIAS, Subaru and the New York Power Authority (NYPA) hooked up for a good cause. In a  partnership between NYPA and Subaru, two of Subaru's 2009 R1e electric vehicles will become part of NYPA’s green fleet.

The stats: The Subaru R1e uses fast-charge lithium ion battery technology. The two-seat Subaru R1e is capable of driving at speeds up to 65 mph with a range of up to 50 miles. The Subaru R1e can be “quick-charged” to 80 percent capacity in only 15 minutes using quick-charge technology. The vehicle can be fully charged overnight (eight hours) while connected to a standard household electrical outlet.

With 40 Subaru R1e vehicles currently in use, Subaru parent Fuji Heavy Industries is adding 100 more electric vehicles into a consumer test program in Japan in 2009.

The testing doesn’t stop there. Subaru is concentrating on developing battery technology that could be used in hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) and fuel cell electric vehicles (FEVs). Compared to nickel metal hydride or nickel-hydrogen battery technology, lithium-ion battery technology offers advantages including easier packaging, higher power density, better cooling for longer life and potentially lower cost.

Another green benefit? Service life for the high-density lithium-ion battery is estimated at 10 years and 130,000 miles and the battery pack is designed to be easily recycled.