Pioneer introduces satellite navigation aimed at hypermilers

Pioneer's latest satellite navigation system, the AVIC-ZHO9-MEV, is designed specifically for hypermiling plug-in vehicle owners looking to extract every last bit of range out of their electrified rides.

The AVIC-ZHO9-MEV is a device that estimates your vehicle's remaining battery charge and level of power consumption to adjust routes accordingly. Pioneer's sat-nav unit will direct drivers around steep inclines, away from high-speed interstates and down sloped roads to recapture energy from braking.

Of course, the AVIC-ZH09-MEV has all the bells and whistles you'd expect from such a unit, so you can watch DVDs on the system's seven-inch display, receive digital TV and radio and listen to MP3s. The unit will be available in Japan in "late July" with a retail price of 246,750 yen ($3,060 U.S. at the current exchange rate). There's no word on when, or even if, the AVIC-ZH09-MEV will ship to the U.S.

[Source: Engadget]