The Yebbujana R is Korea's little lightning bolt

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Yebbujana R
 Since 2010, Seoul-based Power Plaza – a supplier of batteries, power converters and other electric-car components – has been developing a tiny EV of its own. The cheeky Yebbujana coupe concept, now in its fourth generation, is envisioned as a petite urban runabout. It is clever, environmentally friendly and adorable. (The name “Yebbujana” translates roughly to "Isn't it pretty?") At the 2015 Seoul show, scheduled to kick off on 3 April, this sensible commuter car reveals a more playful side.


Yebbujana R 
 ebbujana R. (Credit: Power Plaza) The Yebbujana R is Power Plaza's two-seat roadster concept. Like the 2+2-seat Yebbujana S4 coupe, the R features a one-piece floor pan and body panels fabricated entirely of carbon fibre composite, with honeycomb sandwich panels imparting structural stiffness and a bumper-height impact bar on all four sides to improve crashworthiness. The coupe, complete with a lithium-ion battery pack beneath the seats, tips the scales at a 1,377lbs (625kg) – about 1,000lbs less than the new Mazda MX-5 Miata.
 
 
Yebbujana S4 
 
 
Yebbujana S4. (Credit: Power Plaza)
Providing the go is a low-voltage version of the electric motor in Fiat's 500e, rated at 38 horsepower and 80 pound-feet of torque. Don't be fooled by such modest numbers; the Yebbujana R is no child's toy. Power Plaza claims its roadster will scoot from zero to 62mph (100km/h) in a Porsche 911-like 4.6 seconds, and press on to a brisk 123mph top speed. Driven at 60km/h, the car will cover a fairly dazzling 355 miles on a full charge. But even with a heavy right foot, drivers can expect a reliable 200-mile range – a feat that Tesla Motors' Elon Musk considers the "minimum threshold" for a viable electric car.
Power Plaza has not shared production intentions for the Yebbujana S4 coupe or the Yebbujana R roadster, but a warm welcome at the Korea International Exhibition Center may put such plans in motion.
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