DAIHATSU

 

HOME  |  INDEX   |  AUTOMOTIVE  |  BLUEPLANET  |  ELECTRIC CARS  |  E. CYCLES  |   NEWS   |  SOLAR CARS

 

 

Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd. (ダイハツ工業株式会社) is the oldest Japanese manufacturer of cars, known mostly for its smaller models and off-road vehicles. Many of its models are also known as kei jidōsha (or kei cars) in Japan. Its headquarters are located in Ikeda, Osaka Prefecture.

The name "Daihatsu" is a combination of the first kanji for Ōsaka (
) and the first of the word "engine manufacture" (発動機製造, hatsudōki seizō?). In the new combination the reading of the "" is changed from "ō" to "dai", giving "dai hatsu."

 

 

Diahatsu Hijey 55 van

 

Daihatsu Hijet 55



Daihatsu was formed in 1951 as successor organisation to Hatsudoki and, by the 1960s, had started exporting cars to Europe, although it did not enjoy any major sales success until well into the 1980s.

Since February 1992 in North America, it has been common for Toyota to distribute Daihatsu models.

In January 2011, Daihatsu announced it would pull out of Europe by 2013, citing the persistently strong yen which makes it difficult to turn a profit from its export business. Daihatsu's sales in Europe had plummeted from 58,000 in 2007 before the financial crisis, to 12,000 in 2011.

An affiliate company spun out in 1966, Daihatsu Diesel Motor Manufacturing Company produces marine engines and diesel generators.

EV Program

 

Daihatsu has had a long running development program for electric vehicles, beginning with the production of "pavilion cars" for the 1970 Osaka World Expo and continuing with the production of golf carts and vehicles for institutional use, such as the DBC-1. An electric version of the company's Fellow Max kei car also followed, the beginning of a series of prototypes. The 1973 oil crisis provided further impetus and at the 20th Tokyo Motor Show (1973) Daihatsu displayed a 550 W electric trike (TR-503E) as well as the BCX-III electric car prototype. Daihatsu showed more prototypes through the 1970s, for instance at the 1979 Sydney Motor Show, and then joined the Japanese Electric Vehicle Association's PREET program (Public Rent an Electric Towncar) with an electric version of the Max Cuore keicar. The program allowed registered users access to the cars with a magnetized card and charged according to mileage used.

The current hybrid vehicle technology is called Daihatsu Mild Hybrid System, and is mainly used in the Atrai/Hijet Hybrid-IV.

 

Hybrid Hijet

 

In 2002, Daihatsu debuted the Hijet Cargo Hybrid concept, a hybrid van, in Japan using a 660 cc engine. The car is based on the existing non-hybrid Hijet Cargo. Daihatsu calls it a mild hybrid design. Its design (called Daihatsu Mild Hybrid System or DMHS based on Toyota hybrid technology) is quite different from many existing hybrid design where as the gas and electric powered components assembled as one unit. The electric motor sits between the gasoline powered engine and the transmission unit. The car is 30% more fuel efficient than its gas-powered counterpart.

The hybrid minicars (called FEV - Ultra Fuel Economy - and Atrai Hybrid-IV) made its debut in 2002 as a concept minicar. Its production was announced in October 2004 but as of May 2006 had not been released.

 

 

Daihatsu Move custom car

 

Daihatsu Move, custom model

 

 

 

ZX40ST Electric Truck

 

The most powerful "fleet" electric utility truck on the market debuted at FedFleet '07 in Orlando in the summer of 2007. The truck is governed to a maximum speed of 25 miles (40 km) an hour and travels 50–60 miles per charge. Like the ZX40S Advanced Design, this truck also uses an advanced three phase, brushless, AC induction motor, which comes standard with regenerative braking and optional air conditioning. MSRP $18,400.

ZX40

 

The Miles Electric Vehicles ZX40 is a subcompact electric car built by FAW Tianjin (Tianjin-Qingyuan Electric Vehicle Co), a subsidiary of the First Automobile Works in Tianjin, China. The car is a licensed version of the Japanese Daihatsu Move minicompact and is sold in China as the Xinfu ("Happy Messenger"). Miles takes a vehicle without a drivetrain and adds the motor components.

It is powered by a single 48-volt electric motor, which produces 4.2 kW (5.6 hp) and uses a 150-amp-hour battery pack. The car uses an on-board charger that charges through a standard 110-volt 20-amp outlet. An empty battery fully charges in six hours, but only two to three hours are needed to charge it fully if the car is less than 80% empty. The ZX40 can travel up to 64 km (40 mi) at speeds limited to 40 km/h (25 mph). It is a 2- or 4-seat car and is DOT-approved for street use.

The ZX40 has been discontinued for the 2008 model year, in favor of the more powerful ZX40S and AC Motor-powered ZX40S Advanced Design.

 

Daihatsu Midget

 

Daihatsu Midget

 


ZX40S

 

The ZX40S was designed to accelerate faster than the ZX40. It is powered by a 72-volt system instead of a 48-volt system, which extends its range to 50–60 miles (80–96 km). To comply with federal law, the ZX40S is also electronically speed-limited to 25 mph (40 km/h) like the ZX40 (except in Washington State and Minnesota where electric vehicles which meet federal safety standards are allowed to operate up to 35 mph (56 km/h) as Medium Speed Electric Vehicles).

The ZX40 and ZX40S are classified as "low-speed vehicles", meaning they have fewer regulations to comply with. Such vehicles must include standard lighting and seatbelts, but do not require passive restraints, typically airbags in higher-speed vehicles. The vehicles should not exceed 25 mph (40 km/h) on streets with posted speed limits of 35 mph (56 km/h) or less. These vehicles also fall under the Washington State speed exemption cited above and may be operated up to 35 mph (56 km/h). MSRP $19,499 USD.

ZX40S Advanced Design

 

This vehicle uses the same body as the two above models, but uses an AC induction motor that offers greater power and torque, extended lifetime, and regenerative braking.

 

The Future

 

Okay, so electric motoring is great. Now just imagine that you own a Daihatsu EV and it is equipped with a universal battery cartridge so that you can pull into any service forecourt and refuel instantly. One day that will be possible, and who knows it may be Daihatsu that is one of the first to agree to develop a car with such a system.

 

Battery cartridge exchange has already been incorporated in several vehicles, and service forecourts designed in principle, but a cheap and practical version of this technology fitted into a production vehicle is still awaited.

 

 

 

 

 

Daihatsu Mira conversion



LINKS:


 


 

Abarth

AC

Alfa Romeo

Allard

Alvis

Amphicar

Armstrong Siddeley

Aston Martin

Audi

Austin

Austin Healey

Auto Union

Bedford

Bentley

Bertone

Bizzarrini

BMW

Bristol Cars

BSA

Bugatti

Buick

Cadillac

Caterham

Chevrolet

Chrysler

Citroen

Daewoo

Daihatsu

Daimler

Datsun

Davrian

Delahaye

DKW

Dodge

Du Pont

Dutton

Facel Vega

Farina

Ferrari

Fiat

Ford

General Motors

Gentry

Gilbern

Ginetta

Gordon Keeble

Gregoire

Hanomag

Heinkel

Hillman

Honda

Hummer

Hyundai

Iso

Isuzu

Jaguar

Jeep

Jensen

Jösse

Kawasaki

KIA

Lada

Lagonda

Lamborghini

Lancia

Land Rover

Lexus

Leyland

Lincoln

Lotus

Marcos

Maserati

Mazda

Mercedes Benz

MG

MGB

Mini

Mitsubishi

Morgan

Morris

Nissan

Nelson

Norton

Oldsmobile

Opel

Packard

Panhard

Panther

Peerless

Pegaso

Peugeot

Pininfarina

Pontiac

Porsche

Reliant

Renault

Riley

Rolls Royce

Rover

Saab

Seat

Skoda

Smart

Standard

Steyr-Puch

Studebaker

Suburu

Sunbeam

Suzuki

Swallow

Toyota

Tata

Tatra

Treser

Triumph

TVR

Unipower

Vanden Plas

Vauxhall

Volkswagen

Volvo

Wolseley

Yamaha

Yugo

 

Please click on the links above to find out about these famous automotive makers.  If your company is not included and you would like to be listed, please let us know.

 


 

 

Daihatsu UFE III low drag concept car

 

 

UK VEHICLE INSURANCE ONLINE A - Z

 

No matter what car, van or bike you drive, we're all looking for great value and quality in our UK motor insurance?  But who is the best - who is the cheapest and who offers the great service in the event of a claim?

 

See the insurance companies below who claim to offer competitive cover at sensible prices, our guide to the jargon and tips for cutting your quote - Good Luck:-

 

 

1ST QUOTE

4YOUNG DRIVERS.CO.UK

17 TO 40

A QUOTE INSURANCE

AA CAR INSURANCE

ACCEPT DIRECT

ADMIRAL CAR INSURANCE

ADRIAN FLUX - SPECIALIST INSURANCE

ASDA CAR INSURANCE

AUTOTRADER

AXA

BARCLAYS

BELL

BUDGET

CENTRAL DIRECT VEHICLE INSURANCE

CHURCHILL

COMPARE THE MARKET

CONFUSED.COM

CORNHILL DIRECT

DIAL DIRECT

DIAMOND

DIRECT LINE

EAGLE STAR

EASY MONEY INSURANCE

ECARINSURANCE.CO.UK

ELEPHANT.CO.UK

ENDSLEIGH

EQUITY RED STAR MOTOR POLICIES

ESURE

FOOL.CO.UK

FORD CAR INSURANCE

FORTIS

GROUPAMA

HALIFAX ONLINE CAR INSURANCE

HASTINGS DIRECT

HSBC car insurance

INSURANCE NOW.CO.UK

INSURE.CO.UK

ITS4ME

 

 

KWIK FIT

LEGAL & GENERAL

LIVERPOOL VICTORIA

LLOYDS TSB CAR INSURANCE

LOCAL BROKER.CO.UK

MASTER QUOTE

MARKS & SPENCER

MONEY SUPERMARKET.COM

MORE THAN - Sun Alliance

MOTOR QUOTE DIRECT

MOTOWORLD

N.I.G CAR INSURANCE

NORWICH UNION

PEOPLES CHOICE

PERFORMANCE DIRECT

POST OFFICE

PRIVILEGE

PROVIDENT FINANCIAL

PRUDENTIAL

QUOTE DIRECT

RAC

ROYAL & SUN ALLIANCE

SABRE INSURANCE

SAGA

SAINSBURYS BANK

SCREENTRADE CAR INSURANCE

SHEILAS WHEELS

SMARTER MONEY.COM

SONAR DIRECT.CO.UK

SWIFTCOVER

QUICK CAR QUOTE

QUINN DIRECT CAR INSURANCE

QUOTE ZONE CAR INSURANCE

TESCO 

THE INSURANCE CENTRE

TINY QUOTES.CO.UK

VIRGIN

YES INSURANCE.CO.UK

YOUR FINANCE.BIZ

ZURICH

 

 

Automotive Prehistory Links

CONTACTS

 


 

A taste for adventure capitalists

 

 

Solar Cola - a healthier alternative

 

 

AUTOMOTIVE  |  EDUCATION  |  SOLAR CAR RACING TEAMS  |  SOLAR CAR RACING TEAMS  |  SOLAR CARS

The content of this website is copyright © 1991 and 2012 Electrick Publications. All rights reserved. The bluebird logo and name Bluebird and Blue Max are trademarks.  The BE2 and BE3 vehicle shape and configuration are registered designs ®.  All other trademarks are hereby acknowledged.  Max Energy Limited is an educational charity.