Following the footsteps of other tiny electric vehicles such as the SmartCar ForTwo and theMitsubishi i-MiEV, Honda has unveiled its very own miniature car called the MC-β (That's MC-beta to you and me).
It looks to be a refinement of the company's line of "micro commuters" and is designed to comply with the "micro-sized mobility products" category that's currently the trend in Japan and Europe (Indeed, it would fit in the latter's L7 motorcycle category).
Meant for eco-friendly short trips around the city, the MC-beta is built on top of a lightweight yet rigid frame and only measures 2,495 x 1,280 x 1,545 mm all around, which is about 90cm shorter than the typical mini car. The release states it has a 3.3 meter minimum turning radius, a maximum range of 80km or so when fully charged, and speeds of more than 70 km/h.
As for charging time, the teensy quadricycle takes less than seven hours to get fully juiced with a 100V outlet and less than three with a 200V one. Field tests will begin in Japan this month, so we wouldn't expect this in showrooms any time soon.
Sure, you won't have room for too much luggage, but at least the MC-beta won't have to resort to funky folding techniques to park in a tight spot.
Engadget
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