The Japanese are rolling out some new concept cars and personal mobility devices. This souped up electric eight wheeler will supposedly give American/German/Italian musclecars a run for their money.

The eight-wheel Eliica from Japan's Keio University Electric Car Laboratory can scoot from 0 to 60 mph in four seconds. It hits maximum speeds of 230 mph.

Gizmodo reports that this ugly duckling has a 100-hp electric motor for each of it's eight wheels. (How's that for 8 wheel drive?) Unfortunately it cost a quarter of a million dollars and takes a full 10 hours to recharge. There is no telling how fast the batteries would discharge at 230 mph, and at 800-hp I can only imagine the pollution* this thing must generate.

Next up is a "personal mobility vehicle", which I presume is Japan's answer to the Segway.

Toyota's i-unit personal-mobility concept vehicle gets you from point A to point B in a reclining or upright position. It will be shown in Aichi, Japan, in 2005.

If you ever see me driving one of these kooky contraptions, just shoot me.

* Considering most of the World's electricity comes from nuclear or fossil fuels, I wouldn't exactly call them "clean".