TOKYO—Teijin Ltd. and Applied Electric Vehicles (Applied EV) have developed a low-speed electric vehicle for autonomous driving systems and other mobility applications. The four-seat LS-EV combines Teijin’s proprietary technologies and expertise in strong, lightweight materials with Applied EV’s technologies, including a new mobility vehicle platform called Blanc Robot.

The vehicle’s body is made with Teijin’s lightweight, impact-resistant Panlite polycarbonate material. Teijin Frontier’s vertically oriented polyester non-woven fabric provides insulation from ambient temperatures and road noise outside the vehicle. A curved roof features a solar panel and lightweight power supply module. The system achieves output of about 330-watts.

“The shift to electric mobility is focusing attention on the benefit of the well-to-wheel zero-emission approach, which takes into account the total energy efficiency of vehicles, including how their electricity is sourced and how efficiently it is used during driving,” says Toshiaki Hotaka, general manager of Teijin’s mobility division.

“Through our collaboration with Applied EV, we are working to…anticipate mobility needs in the near future,” explains Hotaka. “To this end, we are strengthening our technological capabilities by applying our know-how in high-performance materials, design and composites. Aiming to become a company that supports the society of the future, we have positioned environmental-value solutions as a priority field in which [we] can contribute to circular economies and sustainability.”