Daihatsu Motor Corp. (Japan), a Toyota Motor Corp. (Japan) family company, announced its ultra-fuel efficiency (UFE) concept vehicle that can carry four passengers while achieving a unprecedented 55km/liter on the Japanese driving cycle, the equivalent of 130mpg or 2.7liters/100km using the European fuel efficiency standard.
The 11ft long UFE concept vehicle makes use of lightweight composite materials to create a slippery CD of 0.25. The gasoline engine is a 660cu-cm direct-injection prototype that is mated to Toyota's TMS electric-drive system. The vehicle also features the new or advanced safety vehicle system that integrates in the UFE full-range speed control for following a proceeding vehicle, speed control for curve negotiation and a lane-deviation warning system.
There has been no word from Daihatsu as to whether or not the company plans to put the car into production.
