Daihatsu Tops Fuel Efficiency with 71 MPG Car

Daihatsu has proclaimed its new Mira e:S the world’s most fuel efficient non-hybrid gasoline car. It went on sale in Japan on September 20.

The Mira e:S gets 30 kilometers to the liter (70.6 mpg) thanks to a new engine that improves fuel-burning efficiency and a switch that automatically turns of the engine when speed drops below 7 kph (4.4 mph). By reducing the number of parts, the Mira e:S is also 60 kilograms (132 lbs.) — or about 8% — lighter than the previous model.

The Mira e:S is positioned to compete against hybrids and electrics as a so-called third type of green car. What gives the Mira e:S its biggest advantage over hybrids is its starting price of 795,000 yen ($10,413), achieved by using parts from Chinese and South Korean suppliers, a first for Daihatsu.

“We cannot allow our company to be adversely affected by foreign exchange rates,” said Ina. The company expects to continue using more imported parts.

“We’ve returned to the things that make compact cars appealing — low price, good fuel economy, and little use of resources — and pushed them to the limit,” said Daihatsu President Koichi Ina.

The company is betting on surging demand for subcompacts and projects sales of 50,000 for the rest of 2011 and 120,000 in 2012.

The technology used in the Mira e:S will be used in other models, including those produced and sold in Indonesia and Malaysia.