Munakata-based venture company Kobot has received approval from the Kyushu Transportation Bureau for its ultra-compact two-person electric vehicle under the government’s Micro-Mobility Certification System. It is the first certification issued in Kyushu. After a screening by the Light Motor Vehicle Inspection Association, the vehicles will go into use as rental cars in the tourist areas of Munakata and Itoshima. The Micro-Mobility Certification System was launched this January to enable the adoption of micro-vehicles by local municipalities and car makers. The Council for the Promotion of Ultra Compact Mobility for Tourism, composed of members from the two cities, applied for approval in June. According to Kobot, its electric vehicle measures 2 x 1.2 x 1.6 m, seats two—one in the front and one in the back—has a top speed of 60 km/h and can travel up to 50 km on a full charge. Nishinippon Shimbun, Aug 7
