Modern day electric cars and bikes are most often viewed by the vast majority as slow slugs that really are no match for the Ferraris and that Hayabusas on the road. But that perception of owning an electric car ‘just for the sake of the planet’ is being fast changed and Eliica is attempting to bring about that change with one radical blitz.

Designed by a team at Keio University in Japan and brainchild of Hiroshi Shimizu, the 8-wheeled all-electric car, powered by lithium-ion batteries intends to get past the 250 mph mark making it the fastest street-legal car on the planet; quite a step forward from the electric cars of the past that struggled to dish out 50mph!

Eliica’s eight wheels (Electric Lithium-Ion car) are not there just to make it look big. Along with superb aerodynamics that allows it to cut through air like a hot knife through butter, each wheel sports an 80hp electric motor which ensures that it does not dropdown on pace. This does not mean that the car is short on mileage though. It can currently dish out 200miles on a single charge with a top speed of 230mph.

That is something both revolutionary for electric vehicles and the planet, as it gives a great ad for green energy. However, the team of scientists are now seeking corporate financing to keep the project running.

Right now, there are two of these babies each priced at a whooping $320,000. Considering that this a zero-emission vehicle, accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4 seconds, tops at 230mph and has a range of 200 miles, the price tag seems pretty justified. However, we can’t guarantee it will get you a date or something. [Eliica via EV World & Engadget]

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