Sim Drive

In Japan, it seems the fourth time's a charm. Meet SIM-HAL, the latest prototype from SIM-Drive and its partners. Like its three predecessors – the SIM-LEI, SIM-WIL, and Domenick Yoney

Sim-Drive continues to move towards its goal of evolving the gloriously fantastical all-electric eight-wheeled Eliica into a mass-produced passenger vehicle by 2015. Introducing the SIM-CEL (Cool Energy Link), the third iteration in the Sim series of prototypes.

With plans to bring an electric vehicle to market by 2014, Sim-Drive is closing in on a final design for its aerodynamic, in-wheel-motored passenger car. Looking a little less Star Wars-inspired than the previous SIM-LEI prototype, the new SIM-WIL has now been revealed and is said to have a range of 218 miles on the JC-08 cycle.

Looking for all the world like an elongated Mitsubishi i MiEV that a Stormtrooper would drive, the SIM-LEI recently made an appearance at the 2011 Electric Vehicle Industrial Exhibition in Tokyo. It's been a while since we first caught wind of the SIM-LEI and we've been curious to get a better look at this super-efficient prototype ever since. And now we have.

Hiroshi Shimizu is an inventor, and his electric Eliica concept car actually works. In fact, with eight wheels, each powered by its own electric motor, the $5 million EV can reportedly hit 60 miles per hour in just four seconds and has a ridiculous top speed of 200 mph.

Hiroshi Shimizu, the Japanese EV specialist behind the spectacular, eight-wheeled Eliica has announced the creation of SIM-Drive. This new manufacturer intends to sell electric vehicles in Japan that cost less than ¥1.5 million (about $16,700 US), opening the door to low-cost electric motoring. As price-conscious readers may suspect, there is one small detail missing: the price of the battery w