Nissan's Miniature Electric Cars to be made available for testing in Central Yokohama/Kanagawa

Translated from the original article at: http://news.kanaloco.jp/localnews/article/1211160005/

November 16, 2012

Miniature electric vehicles, available for trial.

From the 19th, Nissan Motors will be testing their Miniature Electric Cars (EVs) in the Central Yokohama area. By participating in a questionnaire, local residents and visitors will be able to rent the cars, free of charge. Nissan aims to take the results and issues raised in the questionnaire into account before introducing it into the marketplace.

The mini-EV has a body length of 234 centimeters (7.6 feet) and can accommodate 2 passengers across the front and back. It travels up to 80 kilometers an hour (50MPH) and can travel 100 kilometers (62 miles) off a full charge, which takes 4 hours. Though current traffic laws do not allow the car to be driven on public roads, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has granted permission for the car to be driven in the East Yokohama Station, Minato Mirai 21, Kannnai, Yamate and Motomachi areas.

Until January 31, 2013, users will be able to drive the vehicles for 3.5 hours per day. Vehicles can be loaned out from Nissan's global headquarters (Takashima, Nisha Ward, Yokohama City), the Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse (Japanese site) (Shinko, Naka Ward, Yokohama City) and the Yamashita-cho underground parking garage.

Applicants being sought are regular, everyday drivers who have received a normal driver's license at least 3 years prior. The registration homepage is located at http://nissan-rentacar.com/yokohama/. At a later date, drivers will in advance be issued a reservation for membership cards.

Original text:

日産の超小型電気自動車、横浜都心エリアで貸し出しへ／神奈川

2012年11月16日

試乗が可能となる超小型ＥＶ

日産自動車の超小型電気自動車（ＥＶ）が１９日から、横浜都心エリアで試乗可能になる。地域住民や観光客らに無料で貸し出し、アンケートを利用者に実施。効果や課題を検証し市場への導入を目指す。

超小型ＥＶは、全長２３４センチで前後２人乗り。最高速度は時速約８０キロで、４時間の充電で約１００キロ走る。現行法では公道を走れないため、国土交通省が許可した横浜駅東口、みなとみらい２１、関内、山手・元町エリア限定で走ることができる。

２０１３年１月３１日までで、利用可能時間は１日最大で３時間半。日産グローバル本社（横浜市西区高島）、横浜赤レンガ倉庫１号館（同市中区新港）、山下町地下駐車場で貸し出す。

利用対象者は普通自動車免許取得後３年以上を経過し、日常的に運転している人など。ホームページ（http://nissan-rentacar.com/yokohama/）で会員登録し、後日発行の会員カードで事前予約をする。