Minicar specialist Daihatsu has trumped parent Toyota with its new Move that is claimed to be the most fuel efficient non-hybrid passenger car on sale in Japan.
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The 27.0km/ litre achieved by some models beats Toyota’s redesigned Vitz (26.5km/litre) which will be launched later this month.
All naturally aspirated Move models are eligible for tax breaks (75% reduction) under the Japanese tax system to promote environmentally-considerate vehicles.
Monthly sales target for Japan is 12,000 units.
Daihatsu said fuel efficiency improved to the 27.0km/litre mark, the highest achieved under the 10-15 Japanese test cycle, through measures including the adoption of a newly developed idle-stop system called ‘eco idle’, an updated second-generation KF engine and an approximate 35kg reduction in weight.
Shutting off the engine automatically to save fuel when the car stops improves fuel efficiency by 2km/litre.
Size and weight were also reduced by the need for a lower number of exclusive parts for the idle-stop system.
Daihatsu also claimed a world first for offering a petrol vehicle with idle-stop system and a CVT transmission without an electric oil pump. The idle-stop computer incorporates an auxiliary power unit, preventing problems such as resetting of the navigation system once the engine is stopped, a Japanese market first.
The newly developed second-generation KF engine has what the automaker said is the world’s first i-EGR system that detects the combustion state using ions. It’s also the first Japanese model with a plastic electronic throttle body. As well as reducing weight, an integrated engine-CVT transmission control ensures the most efficient settings for the driving conditions.
The flash memory navigation system is equipped with an eco-driving support function, providing guidance for fuel-efficient driving on the basis of driving condition analysis, and an energy-saving route search feature that recommends the most fuel-efficient route to the destination.
An ‘intelligent driving assist pack will be available as an option from February.
This includes a pre-crash safety system that monitors if the driver’s eyes are off the road or he is falling asleep, lane deviation warning, stability control and radar cruise control.
As reasonably priced cars with good gas mileage become more popular, the competition for development of energy-saving automobiles will likely increase down the road among Japanese carmakers, analysts told Kyodo News.
