EVsmart blog Comfortable electric vehicles and quick chargers HW ELECTRO released the light tiger EV "ELEMO-K" for the first time in the world and started accepting orders Popular articles Recent posts Categories
The long-awaited light truck EV became the first imported vehicle to acquire a license plate.
The production of the Mitsubishi Minicab MiEV truck, which was deeply popular with users who knew the appeal of EVs, was discontinued. A new option has appeared for the "light tiger electric car" that has virtually disappeared from the world. On November 20, 2021, at the 27th Japan EV Festival held in Aomi, Koto-ku, Tokyo, the world premiere of the "ELEMO-K", which acquired a number according to the light vehicle standard. We announced that we will start taking orders from the same day.
HW ELECTRO (HW Electro) is an EV venture company established in 2019 with the aim of popularizing its own small commercial EV in the style of improving the base model sold by the American company CENNTRO in Europe and the United States to Japanese specifications. is.
"ELEMO", which was introduced in advance, succeeded in acquiring a number for the first time in Japan as an imported small EV truck in April this year. In July, we held a "business strategy presentation & test drive event" in Tokyo and started accepting orders. Just the other day, at the end of October, we formed a capital tie-up with Autobacs Seven, and we will start considering a business tie-up assuming the development of in-vehicle equipment for vehicle delivery and maintenance bases, as well as electric motors (assuming small EVs in general). is announced.
At the press conference in July, the company announced that it would develop a minicar version. Last month, when I interviewed HW Electro's president, Weichen Xiao, he said, "I think we'll be able to announce something in the near future, so please look forward to it." , Eremo K, a light car model that has acquired a number, has been released. I have the impression that the development of HW electro and electro with the goal of "Electric-Mobility-Innovation" is accelerating rapidly.
Eremo, which is registered as a small car, has a total length of 3925mm, and it exceeded the light vehicle standard (3400mm). The Eremo K announced this time shortens the overall length to 3390mm by cutting the overhang at the rear of the rear wheel axle. It is included in light vehicle standards.
Regarding number acquisition, use the mechanism applied to imported cars of 5,000 units or less per year. According to President Xiao, ``Because minicars and registered cars belong to different associations, we had to start over from scratch. I was able to get a number as a car." It is the first imported light commercial electric vehicle in Japan, no, it is the only one in the world that has succeeded in obtaining a license plate number.
The cruising range on a single charge is about 120km, and only normal charging is supported
The specifications of the Eremo K are as follows.
Length x Width x Height (mm) = 3390 x 1440 x 1910
Riding capacity = 2 people
Maximum load = 350kg
Battery capacity = 13kWh
Riding distance per charge = Approx. 120km
Charging method = normal charging only (maximum 3 kW)
For the time being, the Eremo K announced this time is only a "pickup" roofless loading platform type. The price is 2,497,000 yen, compared to 2,640,000 yen for the pickup type of the compact "Eremo 120".
Regarding orders for the Eremo K, the flatbed type (2,354,000 yen) and box type (2,904,000 yen) will also be lined up.
About 2.5 million yen for a light truck is a fairly high-end price. A challenging price that could only have been achieved by a venture company,” says Xiao.
The overall width of 1440mm, which is close to the maximum value of the mini vehicle frame, is actually the width of the cargo bed that protrudes a little from the body. The body itself is in the 1300mm range, about the size of a light car from a long time ago. Furthermore, President Xiao said, "This cargo bed is made of aluminum." "Lightweight and rust-free loading platform" may be a satisfying point unique to venture light trucks.
The truncated form has a unique charm that is a bit different from the small car Eremo. The aluminum loading platform is also attractive, but I am looking forward to seeing the uniquely mounted Eremo K running around the city.
We would like to propose "how to use EV" together with users
The rear overhang part that was cut off in the Elemo K is the small car long distance version "Elemo 200" (capacity about 26 kWh) It becomes the battery deployment space to increase. Therefore, the Eremo K only has a capacity of 13 kWh. It doesn't support fast charging either.
President Xiao is fully aware of the need for longer cruising range and quick charging. However, I believe that it is the role of the Elemo and the Elemo K to "propose" the "how to use" that can be fully utilized with this performance together with users, who are probably many companies and shops. increase.
For the shift to an eco-friendly society symbolized by the EV shift, it is essential to transform lifestyles and business styles. Even with a cruising range of about 120km on a single charge, proposing and implementing attractive ways to use it will help improve the image of companies and shops. The "cost" as a light tiger is not cheap at all, so even if you put a price of about 2.5 million yen, there will be a user company that shows the spirit that you can use it like this! I have high hopes for
On the other hand, as an EV that is expected to be used as a running storage battery for disaster response, etc., the Elemo and Elemo K can be equipped with an AC100V outlet (optional for the Elemo K and Elemo 120), so expensive V2L equipment sold separately can be used. You can get electricity without it. The commitment to AC output can be said to be one of the points that shows the stance of President Xiao and HW Electro, which aims to spread and expand "Electric-Mobility-Innovation" by maximizing the unique value of EVs.
At the test ride event in July, car critic Naotsugu Mihori introduced an article pointing out brakes, but HW Electro immediately responded to improvements. The Eremo 200, which appeared at the test drive event this time, had a great improvement in braking feeling by changing the gear ratio and pedal position. I feel that the speedy sense of "improvement" that leads to the update of Tesla cars is also a strength unique to venture companies.
The delivery of the Eremo and the Eremo K announced this time is scheduled to start around March 2022.
If the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry indicates that the budget will be doubled, it may be possible to lower the price hurdle if it is certified as a subsidized vehicle such as the CEV subsidy in 2022 (FY2022). Currently, we are waiting for the reservation date for the additional test required to receive the subsidized model certification.
Anyway, according to President Xiao, the goal is to "sell 2,000 units of the Eremo series" by 2022, when full-scale delivery begins, and he seems to be "feeling good results." In addition, ``We are considering further new collaborations such as expanding the normal charging infrastructure and IoT utilization,'' and ``plans to announce various things in the near future.'' Wouldn't you like to develop an even more attractive electro world that makes you want to introduce it even if you ignore the subsidy? I would like to expect and pay attention.
(Interview / Text / Yoshinori Yorimoto)