Mitsubishi

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Mitsubishi to Bring Two New Electric Concepts to Tokyo Show

October 1, 2009 in EVs, Future Cars, emissions by kristen | No comments

When the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show opens later this month, Mitsubishi will have 16 vehicles on display, including to new electric vehicle concepts. Of the remaining 14 Mitsubishis at the show, 10 are current production models that qualify for eco-tax deductions in Japan. That leaves four gas-guzzling, carbon-spewing vehicles.

But, to go back to the future, let’s take a look at the Mitsubishi PX-MiEV and i-MiEV Cargo:

Mitsubishi PX-MiEV

  • Plug-in hybrid system
  • 115 mpg
  • Super All-Wheel Control and Electric-Powered Active Yaw Control for better performance
  • Two motors, one at each axle
  • Smart-grid ready

Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo

  • Adds rear space to the current i-MiEV microcar
  • Cube-shaped luggage space with a flat floor for maximum usable space
  • Overall height rises to just over 6 feet

Images courtesy of Mitsubishi Motors.

i MiEV Has World Domination on Its Mind

April 14, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, Future Cars, small cars by kristen | No comments

The Mitsubishi i MiEV may seem like an cute, innocent, egg-like electric vehicle, but recent events show that it has an iron will inside that adorable shape.

On March 27, Mitsubishi announced that it had signed a Memorandum of Understanding with one of the swankiest cities on Earth, Monaco. Beginning in late 2009, the company will provide a fleet of i MiEVs to Monaco’s post office, telecom office, and its famous hotels and casinos. The fleet will be testing the car’s “real-world” usability in Monaco, and will eventually include left-hand drive models. (All current i MiEVs are right-hand drive, since they’re built for the Japanese market.)

On April 6, Mitsubishi and Vancouver, B.C., signed an MoU for one car to be added to the city’s official fleet, and one to be added to the power company’s. The city — Canada’s first to participate in Mitsu’s program — could get more i MiEVs as they become available.

No city is safe from the pint-sized EV’s diabolical plans to clean up the atmosphere, not even my own Portland, Oregon. The State of Oregon signed an MoU with Mistubishi on April 10, while local power company PGE signed a Letter of Intent to test the i MiEV. The company is already working to establish a charging network in anticipation of mass-market electric cars.

These three test fleets are in addition to the i MiEV’s presence in Japan, New Zealand, Australia, California, and Europe. The car will actually go on sale for the first time — after obviously extensive on-street testing — in Japan this summer.

Mitsubishi and Peugeot Work Together on i MiEV

March 2, 2009 in Biz News, EVs, small cars by kristen | No comments

Mitsubishi i MiEV

In a shower of rose petals and confetti, Mitsubishi and Peugeot Citroen signed a Memorandum of Understanding that will allow the two companies to work together to bring EVs to Europe sooner than expected. (More likely, it took place in an austere office sans confetti, but maybe there was sake and pate for everyone.)

The two companies had both started studies last summer on the feasability of bringing small electric cars to Europe. Rather than work against each other, the Mitsu and Peugeot Citroen agreed to work together on the i MiEV platform. The car will be sold under the Mitsubishi and Peugeot badges in Europe as early as fall 2010.

The press release announcing the Memorandum of Understanding (caps theirs) mentioned that real-world tests of the i MiEV are ongoing in Japan, New Zealand, and the U.S. Japan will see the little EV in dealerships this summer, while “several” U.S. markets could see a version of the car at the same time as the European rollout.

Mitsubishi EV in New Zealand 2009

September 18, 2008 in EVs, small cars by kristen | 3 comments

Mitsubishi announced this week that it will bring a fleet of its i MiEV electric cars to New Zealand in February 2009. Local and national government officials will take turns driving the cars to spur discussion of infrastructure, marketing, and presumably some kind of incentive for bringing the cars to the good people of New Zealand in the future.

Why New Zealand, you ask? Why not the U.S. or some other nation tiring of the flucuation in oil prices? Two reasons, one of which is dead simple: Kiwis drive on the left side of the road, just like they do in Japan. The cars are built in Japan, and will be introduced first to the Japanese market, so there aren’t any adjustments to be made. The steering wheel is already in the right place.

The second reason is Mitsubishi Motors’ partner in the tour, state-owned Meridian Energy. Not only is it New Zealand’s largest energy provider, but 100% of that energy comes from renewable sources, like hydroelectric dams and wind farms. That means in New Zealand, the i MiEV can be a zero-emissions car coming and going.

New Microsites Tout Coming Hybrids, EVs

August 1, 2008 in EVs, Future Cars, Hybrids by kristen | 1 comment

Honda and Mitsubishi have both launched microsites on the Internet dedicated to their latest entries into the green-car market. Honda is preparing the world for its line of hybrid vehicles on its microsite, while Mitsubishi is laying the groundwork for its i MiEV concept.

Honda is expected to debut its new hybrid at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November, a five-door hatchback. The as-yet-unnamed car will be offered only as a hybrid, unlike its Civic and Accord stablemates. Honda also has a hybrid sports car that debuted at the Detroit Auto Show this year, but the CR-Z, as it’s called, has a long way to go to get from car shows to showroom-floor.

Mitsubishi’s microsite introduces the i MiEV, an electric vehicle currently in fleet testing. The car is small, not much bigger than a Smart ForTwo, though Mitsu says it seats four. The car’s lithium-ion batteries are good for 80 mph max and nearly 100 miles, making it a more feasible commuter car than neighborhood EVs like the Zap Xebra or Zenn NEV.

CRAFTY BONUS: Mitsubishi has a page full of paper craft plans and instructions for building models of its cars, including the i MiEV. Seems like an excellent way to recycle that useless meeting agenda someone left on your desk this morning.