Our friends at AUTOMOTIVE NEWS certainly ran something of a "bulletin" in today's online edition. Ace reporter Kathy Jackson of that publication, the daily online bible of the car world, says that Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plans to sell a small electric car in the United States. President Osamu Masuko said the vehicle, powered by a lithium-ion battery, will be launched first in Japan. A hybrid version of the car also might be available, Masuko added.
Timing and sales volume targets were not disclosed. A detailed announcement about the car is 
expected shortly.
"From an environmental standpoint, we believe the electric car is the way to go because it has zero emissions," Masuko said in Las Vegas last week at a Mitsubishi dealer meeting. "Fuel cell technology is still off in the future. Diesels are big in Europe but not in Japan and the U.S."
Mitsubishi has been testing hybrid and electric cars in Japan. In January, it unveiled a hybrid concept at the Detroit auto show.
The Concept-CT MIEV is smaller than the Lancer. It has four doors, all-wheel drive and a 1.1-liter gasoline engine. Each wheel has its own electric motor. The electric motors provide awd without a traditional transmission, thus cutting weight.
During a previous interview, Mitsubishi executives told Automotive News that the production version of the concept might be based on the next-generation Colt, which is due before the end of the decade.
Lithium-ion batteries store twice the energy of similarly sized nickel-metal hydride batteries.
My writing now, not Kathy's: Mitsubishi has been selling their mini "i" car (photo, left) in select markets. Many analysts think the car might do well in the US against the Toyota Yaris, Nissan Versa and Honda Fit. But the current i was engineered only for right-hand drive. A version equipped for left-hand drive would have to await the next-generation i in four or five years. The i already is sold now in Singapore, Brunei and Hong Kong. Sales in New Zealand are planned for sometime in the near future. In some unfortunately short-sighted planning, Mitsubishi says the US would have to wait until at least the next generation of the car for the i to be legal for sale in all 50 states.
This announcement of an all-electric EV, though, is something of a stunner. If there's one Asian company in danger of being forced out of the US marketplace, it's been Mitsubishi, for some years now. First off, their name brings back some bad memories for plenty of Americans who still remember (or who have read) that the Japanese ZERO warplane was built by Mitsubishi. Lots of auto marketing people are surprised the company never changed their name, at least in the USA. But you have to hand it to them: With Toyota, Honda and Nissan fighting it out among themselves when it comes to gas/electric hybrids and the highest-mileage cars, here comes Mitsubishi with the first all-electric passenger car to be sold in the US. That's sure one way to make headlines.
That the EV1 was leased is a HUGE difference (*IF* Mitsu actually SELLS them, they are making noises now which say they might NOT go through with this…) … The leasing enabled them to “re-po” the vehicles anytime they wanted; that was part of the lease agreement, and GM followed through on that end of it, unfortunately. We hope Mitsu carries through with this, but after the news of the last week coming from Japan, we’re not so sure they will. They have a CHANCE to do something really new and interesting and important --- We hope they take the gamble! We think USA buyers would support their efforts.
Posted by: steve parker | October 20, 2006 at 08:44 PM
That the EV1 was leased is a HUGE difference (*IF* Mitsu actually SELLS them, they are making noises now which say they might NOT go through with this…) … The leasing enabled them to “re-po” the vehicles anytime they wanted; that was part of the lease agreement, and GM followed through on that end of it, unfortunately. We hope Mitsu carries through with this, but after the news of the last week coming from Japan, we’re not so sure they will. They have a CHANCE to do something really new and interesting and important --- We hope they take the gamble! We think USA buyers would support their efforts.
Posted by: steve parker | October 20, 2006 at 08:43 PM
Not to point out ther obvious, but GM sold an all-electric car in the U.S. market a number of years ago. Technically, they were leased, and they weren't available in all 50 states. So the Mitsubishi's reach might be broader.
Posted by: Mort Blort | October 20, 2006 at 05:18 PM