Subaru Stella: Energy straight from the socket

From July, Subaru plan to offer a small electrically-powered car in their native Japan under the name Stella EV. With its lithium-ion battery, the four-seater should manage distances of up to 55 miles at a stretch. Top speed is quoted as 100kph (62mph). The battery plugs straight into a wall socket. Thanks to a fast-charging system, at least 80% of battery capacity should be available after only 15 minutes. An initial 170 units of the Stella small electric car were due to have been produced by mid-March.