2004 Daihatsu UFE2 Concept

Daihatsu shows off their green side,. They are to unveil a record-breaking concept car at the Birmingham Motor Show together with a host of eye-catching production models – specially customised for the show.

First seen at last year’s Tokyo Motor Show, the UFE2 hybrid has been verified as the world’s most efficient four-seater with the lowest ever recorded drag coefficient of 0.19 Cd.

Standing for Ultra Fuel Economy, the aluminium and composite-bodied minicar weighs only 570 kg and has a pleasingly tapered, teardrop shape with twin gull-wing doors hinged in the centre of the roof.

The spacious four-seat interior is equally futuristic, with a central control unit housing all the major controls including a steer-by-wire system which replaces the conventional steering wheel.

Power is via a low-polluting three-cylinder 660 cc direct-injection petrol engine linked to a compact, lightweight generator and permanent electric motor.

The UFE2’s secondary batteries are advanced nickel-metal hydride and the gearbox is an automatic CVT (continually variable transmission).

Strictly monitored tests have recorded an astonishing 170 mpg-plus for the UFE2 – equivalent to travelling 60 km on one litre of fuel.