Green Science Alliance Established an Electric Vehicle (EV) Company Utilizing Next Generation In-Wheel Motor Technology Developed by a Japanese Engineer who Pioneered Supercar EV named "Eliica" Over 20 Years Ago

KAWANSHI-CITY, Japan, July 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Despite predictions of continued market growth, there are still some obstacles to electric vehicles (EV), such as a lack of EV charging infrastructure, short driving distances, and relatively high cost. Nevertheless, this shift toward electrification in the automotive industry is inevitable. With respect to EV manufacturing, companies such as China's BYD and the USA-based Tesla are recognized as global leaders in the field.

However, a Japanese researcher had already developed an supercar EV over 20 years ago, before Mr. Elon Musk's contributions at Tesla. His name is Dr. Hiroshi Shimizu, who is currently a Professor Emeritus at Keio University, Japan. In 2004, he developed an EV called "Eliica" that featured a cutting-edge in-wheel-motor system, in which each motor is integrated directly into the wheels. Former Japanese Prime Minister Mr. Junichiro Koizumi described Eliica as a revolutionary breakthrough in energy and industrial technology. The vehicle's acceleration—from 0 to 160 km/h—surpassed that of the Porsche 911 and achieved a top speed of 370 km/h. Dr. Shimizu's work demonstrated as early as 2004 that EVs could match or exceed the performance of high-end sports cars.

Subsequently, Dr. Shimizu established a startup company named "SIM Drive Corp." with the goal of popularizing EV technology in the global automotive market. He aimed to create the world's first EV manufacturing company and successfully secured investment from several Japanese firms. 

However, realizing this vision required a fundamental transformation of the existing automotive industry, including redesigning car bodies, rethinking infrastructure, and revamping manufacturing facilities. Despite having the most advanced EV technologies (e.g., in-wheel motor systems) at the time, SIM Drive faced insurmountable barriers. Furthermore, the conservative and insular mindset of the Japanese automotive industry prevented further collaboration. Hence, without further financial support, mass production could not be achieved. Therefore, a few years later, Tesla emerged as the world's first prominent mass-production EV company.

The in-wheel motor, a key innovation of Dr. Shimizu's work, places the motor directly inside the wheel, enabling direct power transmission without the need for traditional gear mechanisms. This configuration significantly enhances energy efficiency compared to the existing commercial motor. In essence, the in-wheel motor represents the next-generation propulsion system for EVs. In addition, its compact design frees up interior space for passengers and cargo, and the improved energy transfer efficiency contributes to longer driving range. On top of that, EV can be more agile because each wheels can move independently due to existence of In-Wheel Motor at each wheel, which can offer higher safety. On the other hand, the presence of motors in the wheels worsens driving quality, owing to the heavy unbalanced weight. Moreover, high production costs and vulnerability to vibrations and physical impacts pose persistent challenges. Nevertheless, thanks to over 40 years of continuous development by Dr. Shimizu, many of these issues have been addressed, making now an opportune time to commercialize in-wheel motor-based EVs.

Some companies are currently working on in-wheel motor technology. However, many have yet to achieve full commercial viability or lack the capability to manufacture EVs fully integrated with in-wheel motors from beginning to end. In contrast, Dr. Shimizu has developed over a dozen EVs since the 1980s, nine of which have been certified for public road use in Japan.

Today, Green Science Alliance Co., Ltd.—a Japanese green technology startup developing various kinds of cutting-edge, carbon-neutral, and sustainable industrial technologies—has launched an EV manufacturing subsidiary named "e-Gle Tech. Co., Ltd.". This new company aims to integrate in-wheel motor systems with next-generation rechargeable batteries developed by Dr. Ryohei Mori, CEO of Green Science Alliance.

One of their main goals is to develop low-cost EVs with extended driving distances, with safety, which are the main limitations of current commercial EVs. Furthermore, Green Science Alliance is actively developing complementary technologies such as perovskite solar cells, platinum-group-metal-free fuel cells, and various kinds of plant-based materials such as nano-cellulose and bioplastics. These innovations will be combined to develop a new generation of cutting-edge EVs. The company is also seeking investment opportunities to support these efforts.

Contact:
Ryohei Mori
81-72-7598501
[email protected]

SOURCE Green Science Alliance Co., Ltd.