TUM CREATE to unveil electric taxi prototype at Tokyo Motor Show

TUM CREATE will present a purpose-built electric taxi, codenamed EVA, at the 43rd Tokyo Motor Show at West Hall 4 of the Tokyo Big Sight (Tokyo International Exhibition Center) from 22 November to 1 December 2013.

This prototype vehicle is a platform to showcase the results of the research and development carried out by the Singapore-based institution.

This project milestone marks the first time that a Singapore-based organization is participating and presenting a vehicle in the 59-year history of Asia's most important automotive tradeshow

EVA was designed from the ground-up as an e-taxi and is a result of interdisciplinary research in areas such as energy storage, battery charging, thermal management, and lightweight materials and design. A key highlight is the car's super-fast charging ability. Our engineers have developed a battery pack that can be recharged in 15 minutes to achieve a realistic range of 200 km with the cabin air conditioner switched on. The range is calculated based on data collected by our researchers who tracked driving patterns of Singaporean taxi drivers. With minimal downtime for charging and a high range, TUM CREATE's solution will set a benchmark in EV technology.

Transportation companies around the world typically re-purpose passenger cars as taxis. However, the challenge of current electric vehicles is the extremely limited range and long recharge times (up to 8 hours), making them unsuitable as taxis. TUM CREATE aims to address these issues, as well as the unique challenges posed by the heat and humidity in tropical megacities, through its research and development. Unlike temperate climates, passenger cooling and battery pack heat management are issues specific to this part of the world.

EVA is an interdisciplinary project as part of the diverse research and development undertaken at TUM CREATE. Funded by the National Research Foundation, an agency of the Prime Minister's Office, TUM CREATE is a joint electromobility project between two world-leading universities Technische Universität München (TUM) and Nanyang Technological University (NTU).