Startup EV Converter Gets 1,000-Vehicle Order from Japan Post

Startup EV Converter Gets 1,000-Vehicle Order from Japan Post

Nice way to kick-start your business: Zero Sports, a Japanese performance car tuner and EV converter that only received government approval to build EVs in 2003 has received an order from Japan Post Service for 1,000 electric vehicles based on Subaru's commercial light vehicle platform.

The deal follows a year of testing by the Japanese postal service, which replaces about 3,600 vehiles a year and has said it plans to convert all 22,000 vehicles in its mail delivery and collection fleet to electric drive by 2016.  It also has tested EVs supplied directly by Subaru and Mitsubishi.

Zero Sports, which was started in 1998 as a performance shop specializing in Subarus, said that it sources its EV components locally. But last year its test vehicle for Japan Post used a lithium-ion battery pack supplied by Indiana-based EnerDel and an electric drive system supplied by Norway's Think.

We've not been able to find out whether the to companies are part of the 1,000-vehicle conversion deal or just supplied components for the test program - but we'll keep checking and let you know.

John O'Dell:  is an AutoObserver Senior Editor. Follow @AutoObserver on Twitter.