Mazda has announced that it will take part in a joint project to test electric vehicles in Japan, by providing three Mazda2 / Demio superminis to be converted into EVs and will also assist in determining the vehicle specifications and evaluating the car's performance. Among the companies participating in the project, which will be lead by the Itochu Corporation, are Norway's Th!nk, Seiko and Nippon Car Solutions.

The Tsukuba Environmental Style Test Project is scheduled to commence in March 2010 in Tsukuba city, near Tokyo.

The Japanese automaker said that through its participation in the EV project, it aims to further strengthen the base of its future R&D activities in the development of its electric drive technologies.

Via Carscoop