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U.S.-based lithium-battery maker EnerDel and former Ford electric drivetrain and electric city car unit Think Global are collaborating on an effort to convert about a quarter of Japan's 22,000 gasoline-fueled postal trucks to battery-electric power.


Japan's postal service is road-testing two electric vehicles in the Tokyo and Kanagawa areas, EnerDel and Think said in a joint statement. The service has stated its intention to convert its entire fleet to electric by 2016, according to Rachel Carroll, spokeswoman for EnerDel parent Ener1.



EnerDel and Think had previously worked together on developing a 26 kilowatt-hour battery system for the Think City vehicle starting in 2007. The same system is being used for the Japan Postal trucks, the companies said.


Now considered an off-the-shelf package by the companies, the electric drive system was delivered to Zero Sports, a Japanese automotive specialty company that is one of several under contract with Japan Postal to do convert its gass trucks to electric.


While Carroll declined to estimate the horsepower, top speed and range generated by the postal prototype's 26 kilowatt-hour battery, which weighs about 600 pounds, the much smaller  Think City EV has a range of 100 miles with a top speed of about 65 miles per hour.
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Tags: Batteries, Japan, Plug-ins and Electric, Electric cars, Lithium Ion Batteries

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EnerDel, Think Lithium-Ion Battery Systems Going Postal in Japan was originally published by Green Car Advisor. Read the full story by clicking here.