Honda has introduced its latest micro-sized short-distance EV commuter, MC-β, which has been manufactured taking into account the discussions about micro-sized mobility organized in Japan by the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.

The MC-β will be presented to Saitama City, Kumamoto Prefecture and Miyakojima City this month for separate field tests. In these field tests, Honda and its partners will examine if the vehicle lives up to its expectations and can be a part of a social system that helps address issues like city planning and transportation in communities.

Some of the key features of MC-β are:

• Honda is known for making vehicles that offer a lot of interior space and MC-β is no different as its cabin can easily accommodate two adults. By using an ‘offset seat layout’, utility space within the small body can be used.
• The MC-β offers exceptional ease of handling with a minimum turning radius of as short as 3.3 m.
• Despite being a micro-sized vehicle, the MC-β offers brilliant driving performance on different road conditions.
• A lightweight but strong body has been achieved through the pipe frame, while the plastic outer panel gives it a bold exterior design, which is likely to become very popular among people who use micro-sized vehicles.
• By using a traditional public EV charging stand, the vehicle can be conveniently charged and to shorten the charging time, an AC100V/AC200V charging system has been used in the MC-β.
• The MC-β can be charged in less than three hours with a driving range of 80 km.
• A lithium-ion battery has been used in the MC-β to enhance the overall electric-performance of the vehicle.
• The MC-β can achieve a speed of more than 70 km per hour.

The micro-sized vehicle will be displayed at the Smart Mobility City 2013.