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If you think tricycles are for kids,
then you have not seen “The KAITEKI”. Made from carbon fiber and
charged by solar cells, this futuristic three wheeler represents the crystallization
of advanced products and technologies from Mitsubishi Chemical and Mitsubishi
Plastics, which are core companies of the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group.
The revolutionary tricycle, which takes its name from the Japanese word kaiteki,
meaning “comfort” or “ease”, was originally conceived
in 2007 at a workshop that brought mid-career employees together from across
the Mitsubishi Chemical Group. The Group has indentified “sustainability”, “health” and “comfort” as
key words for the 21st century and workshop participants discussed ways to give
shape to these ideas. After extensive discussions, participants focused on the
idea of a three wheeler, equipped with an electric motor to assist users, as
a new form of transportation that could benefit society in various ways. The
concept called for the tricycle to be easy for seniors to ride; to be readily
usable on rainy days; and to have plenty of luggage-carrying capacity. Around
this time, Mie Prefecture was initiating a project to develop and test a next-generation |
cycle equipped with cutting-edge
battery technology. Mitsubishi Chemical was chosen to participate in this initiative
and this marked the start of joint development work on the project.
The KAITEKI’s electric motor is charged
by solar cells, installed on a specially-designed docking station. Its body is
lightweight and compact, making it easy for seniors to ride. The KAITEKI also
comes equipped with a detachable luggage carrier. Made with cutting-edge materials
from Mitsubishi Plastics, the innovative tricycle nicely reflects the unique
advanced capabilities of the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group.
Efforts to explore the full potential of The KAITEKI continue. How can the tricycle
help reduce CO2 emissions? Could it be utilized
by courier services? Could a PR campaign be organized in conjunction with the
Tour de France? In this way, The KAITEKI continues to kindle the imagination
and aspirations of employees across the Mitsubishi Chemical Holdings Group.
■ http://www.greaternagoya.org/html_ja/
?cls=ja_news_01&op=detail&pr_id=130 |
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