Tiny Slow Electric Bus

The city of Kiryu, Japan employs the the E-KomiBus, a tiny electric vehicle that carries solar panels to charge the batteries during sunny weather.

The E-KomiBus (which, for reasons unknown, bears the nickname “MAYU”) is a totally electric and tiny little bus. It’s only 173” long (shorter than a 2012 Honda Civic), and runs on lithium ion batteries, which have a range of about 25 miles after charging 8 hours. With a top speed of 12mph, it’s ideally suited for driving through the narrow back streets not covered by conventional bus routes.

The university hopes that senior citizens and tourists (the two groups least likely to own driver’s licenses in Gunma) will use the E-KomiBus, which seats 10.

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(Image source: Yomiuri Online)