Smaller Japanese makers are focusing on pure battery power. Mitsubishi plans to bring a version of its new i-MIEV battery-electric vehicle to the U.S.
In Japan, smaller automakers, such as Subaru and Mitsubishi and even Nissan, are moving towards pure electric vehicles as way to offset the overwhelming edge Toyota and Honda hold in hybrid vehicles.
Mitsubishi, which has been known primarily for small, sporty cars, announced at the Los Angeles Auto Show that it will begin selling an electric vehicle in the U.S. beginning in 2011.
Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko said we’ll soon see a version of the i-MiEV, on display at L.A.’s Staples Center, “which we put on sale this past summer in Japan.” Mitsubishi has delivered approximately 800 of these innovative vehicles, he added. In fact, the raw numbers make Mitsubishi the leader in Japanese EV deliveries.
“In the North American market, attention has focused on the EV as awareness of the environment grows,” he said. “The i-MiEV was originally designed to help explore an avenue towards sustainability. The vehicle’s size, an innovative packaging makes it especially ideal throughout Asia and Europe.”
Mitsubishi has signed a deal to provide battery-electric vehicles to the big box retailer Best Buy.
The build-up to the launch of i-MiEV has given MMC a broad understanding of the challenges of building and marketing electric vehicles, the executive suggested. In Japan, it formed what he termed “vital partnerships” with utilities and others to help develop charging solutions and quick chargers.
“Another example is Lawson convenience store chain, (the Japanese equivalent of 7/11), which has made a commitment to install charging units at select store in Japan,” he said.
The number of available chargers is expected to grow quickly in Japan, Masuko sugested. EVs will also proliferate in California, he added, first because of its network of public charging stations, which are now being upgraded.
Masuko also said Mitsubishi is moving forward to launch the PX-iMiEV EV, which is larger and more like a conventional crossover, in the ‘US starting in 2013. “The vehicle will represent the most evolved result of Mitsubishi’s four decades worth of EV research and development,” added Masuko, who noted new government mandates pushing the development of electric vehicles.
“We will continue to promote an environment suitable for EVs, including product development, infrastructure and service. All of this will build toward our introduction of an electric vehicle in North America,” Masuko said.
While the Japanese maker has yet to line up a deal with the likes of 7/11 to give U.S. motorists a Slurpee and a quick-charge, it has partnered with Best Buy to put four electric i-MiEVs in the big-box chain’s “Geek Squad” fleet.