London trucking got a bit greener today as Daimler AG has delivered ten Fuso Canter Eco Hybrids to various customers in the city. The 7.5-ton hybrid trucks are expected to save about 15-percent in both fuel and carbon emissions using a diesel engine and electric drivetrain. The eight customers were specifically chosen to study what the economic benefits of the fuel savings could be, since all the trucks will be used in slightly different roles. Daimler hopes that it will become apparent after the three-year test what roles the trucks are best suited for. Daimler has even created a special service center in London for servicing of the trucks, which were delivered pre-painted in each of the customers' colors. Quite acomodating of the German automaker, wouldn't you say? The trucks themselves were introduced in 2006 and have proven popular in Japan. Daimler hopes that European customers will find that the fuel savings over a couple of years will make up for the higher initial cost that the hybrid trucks are saddled with.

[Source: Daimler AG]

Those folks in America wanting to buy an all-electric Mitsubishi i MiEV sometime in the future now have a reason for increased optimism. The company has just announced agreements with both Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG & E) and Southern California Edison (SCE) to test how the vehicles fare under California's driving conditions. Amongst the quotes that accompanies these sorts of press releases lies a hint that at least one of the utilities is already considering charging infrastructure for the state. Behold the statement of Andrew Tang, senior director at PG&E: "Partnering with automakers like Mitsubishi is vital to developing compatible infrastructures." Sounds promising, no?

MiMoCo has already partnered with seven different utilities in Japan for testing which must have gone quite well as they are planning on retailing the car there in 2009. Although the EV may be sold in England as early as 2010, according to an earlier statement by Tohru Hashimoto, the kei car may be slightly up-sized before it comes to America although the powertrain should remain the same. Press releases from both Californian utilities await your scrutiny after the break.



[Source: Reuters / Mitsubishi Motor Co.]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Mitsuibshi i MiEV

Once again showing how important automakers see the lithium ion battery is an announcement from Yuasa and Mitsubishi that their joint venture battery plant needs to be much larger than originally planned. In fact, the two companies have quintupled planned output before a single battery has even been manufactured. Mitsubishi is expecting high demand for its upcoming i-MiEV electric car, which should go on sale in Japan sometime in 2009. We wonder how much impact Japan Post's plan to use an all electric fleet had in this decision.

At the outset, the plant will cost about 4 billion yen ($36.94 million) and be able to produce enough packs for 10,000 EV's. By 2012, an additional 10 billion yen ($92 million or so) will have been spent to double that capacity. In order to make room for a plant this large, Yuasa is said to be searching for a new site in Japan.


[Source: Automotive News - sub. req'd]

The Japan EV Club drove a Mitsubishi i MiEV and a Subaru R1e from Tokyo to Hokkaido in the week before the G8 summit, for their "Challenge and Charge" event. Now they are sharing stats about the cars' electrical consumption and CO2 emissions and comparing them to a (presumably) typical Japanese gasoline car.

The poster in the photo summarizes the EV stats for the entire trip of 858.7 km ( = 533.57 miles):

* 85.65 kWh used
* 35.12 kg CO2 to produce the electricity ( = 77.43 lbs.)
* Fuel cost: 1,713 yen ( = $16.94)

In comparison, on the bottom of the poster are a gasoline car's stats:

* 75.3 liters used ( = 19.89 gallons)
* 174.6 kg CO2 produced by the ICE ( = 384.93 lbs.)
* Fuel cost: 12,956 yen ( = $121.34)

Thanks to Yanquetino for the tip, translation, everything.
[Source: Japan EV Club]

We got word a couple of days ago that Mitsubishi had pulled ahead its retail sales plans for the iMiEV electric car from 2010 to mid 2009. Now we have some information about the pricing for the diminutive electric car. The little four seater will reportedly carry a sticker price in its home market of about 4 million yen or US$37,496. That would put it in a similar range to the expected price of the Chevy Volt which will hit the market a year later. Tax breaks for low emission cars in Japan should chop the end price by about one quarter to somewhere around $28,000. Now if Mitsubishi would just bring the iMiEV to the US market it would satisfy a lot of American fans.

[Source: Trading Markets]

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Concept-cX

Mitsubishi wanted the world to see that it had plenty of green intentions at least year's Frankfurt Motor Show. Thankfully, those hopes and dreams appear to be turning into reality, as the Concept-cX crossover has now been approved for production. As was initially shown in the concept vehicle, a brand-spankin' new 1.8 liter clean turbodiesel engine will make its debut in the new crossover. From there the power will be sent through a dual clutch SST transmission and the all-wheel-drive system lifted from the latest Lancer Evolution. Of course, to meet the future Euro-V emissions regulations, a diesel particulate filter is fitted to clean up the exhaust stream.
The new cX should fit well into Mitsubishi's product portfolio, right under the current Outlander in both size and price. We can't say for certain, but considering that the two vehicles share a platform, we can reasonably expect to see this same drivetrain mounted in the even friendlier Lancer platform in the future. We can only hope that the cX and its diesel engine will make its way stateside.

[Source: Car Central]

Mitsubishi had been planning to start leasing its i MiEV electric car to commercial and government fleets in 2009, with a Japanese retail launch following in 2010. It now looks like that plan might be accelerated by a year. The Nikkei business daily is reporting that Japanese drivers may be able to get their hands on the electric kei car by next summer. The combination of record oil prices and good test results so far has evidently given Mitsubishi the confidence to get the ball rolling sooner than planned. The company could produce as many as 2,000 i MiEVs in the first year, and ramp that up to 10,000 within two years. And what of U.S. availability? Sorry, no word so far.

[Source: Nikkei via Green Car Congress]

Click above image to enlarge

The fuzz in Japan's Kanagawa Prefecture are getting a new ride, and while it's certainly not going to come out as the victor in a high-speed pursuit, it should handle lighter duties just fine. The car, as you can see above, is a Mitsubishi i MiEV, and the delivery of the unit to the police department for testing appears to mark the first such use of an i MiEV by a Japanese organization other than a power company. Kanagawa Five-O will evaluate the car through March of 2009, and Mitsubishi will regularly collect test data for further analysis. Now, what would be really awesome is if you could divert power from the battery to a set of integrated tasers. They may be superfluous, though, as criminals will likely just surrender to the car's cuteness.

[Source: Mitsubishi]

While we've featured many alternatively-powered cars on AutoblogGreen, this may be the first one that is fueled by the imagination. If you've been perusing the iMiEV microsite we told you about the other day you may have noticed a paper craft section. It's a special place that fans of the Mitsubishi iMiEV (other Mitsu models are also there) can go to and download a PDF file containing a magical pattern that was conjured up by Akira Mizorogi. This can then be printed out, cut out, folded and glued to become a mini version of the micro electric car. Although the cutting may be achieved with scissors, an exacto knife and cutting mat is recommended. Small, childlike fingers and a grandparent's patience may also come in handy.

Because of the inexpensive properties of paper automobiles, we were able to get our hands on three of these little beauties, instead of the usual single model, to put through their paces. The cars were pretty much identical with each having unlimited amounts of power and speed. A few runs through the cones revealed handling that was superb as long as you kept a gentle grip. One car had a little better fit and finish which was chalked up to assembly by a different team. We expect the electric versions to be more uniform and also more silent, since the vehicles we had were for some reason equipped with some sort of sound effects device that reproduced the noises of a gas-powered car.

The trio were driven across varying terrain including a redwood forest (pictured above), a grassy savanna, as well as the usual concrete and asphalt. A word of caution. It's a dangerous world out there for paper cars so beware of puddles and large furry beasts who might mistake your iMiEV for a mouse. Check out the gallery of our paper iMiEV adventures below. Many thanks to Yanquetino for the tip!


[Source: Mitsubishi]

Mitsubishi has been showing off and field testing its iMiEV electric car this year in preparation for a limited production launch in 2009-10. To help spread the word, the Japanese automaker has launched a new micro-site dedicated to the battery powered micro-car. On the site, Mitsubishi explains some of the technology choices made for the oddly named car. The iMiEV uses a lithium ion battery pack mounted under the floor to provide a range of about 100 miles. The i that the iMiEV is based on features a rear mounted engine which is replaced with a permanent magnet motor driving the rear wheels. The batteries are coming from a new joint venture between Mitsubishi and GS Yuasa. The site also features videos about the car and a paper craft version that you can make for yourself. Domenick is evaluating that one in the AutoblogGreen garage right now and will have a full review shortly. Thanks for the tip Yanquetino!

[Source: Mitsubishi]

The biggest name in shopping malls in Japan is set to install electric vehicle charging spots in its parking lots after entering negotiations with car-makers Mitsubishi and Fuji Heavy Industries, builders of the iMiEV and R1e, respectively. Starting with the Lakeland mall currently under construction in Koshigaya, Saitama Prefecture, Aeon will add to its list of environmental programs by giving EV drivers the opportunity to juice up while they are doing their shopping. According to reports, the charging equipment to be used will have the ability to fill batteries much quicker than the plug at Japanese homes, taking only an hour to do the job rather than the more typical 7-14 hours.This equipment sounds to us like something Nissan might be interested in looking into as it explores EV charging infrastructure in Japan.

[Source: Green Car Congress]

Mitsubishi has added a new corporate tag-line, but unfortunately it doesn't really roll of the tongue the way Mazda's Zoom-Zoom does. According to Mitsubishi, the Drive@earth line is meant to represent two things. The first is the company's heritage of helping people get anywhere on the planet, particularly with its four wheel drive vehicles. Mitsubishi vehicles have certainly proven themselves over the years in rallying with cars like the World Rally Championship Lancer EVO and the Dakar Rally-winning Pajero.

The second aspect is a recognition of the environment and issues relating to it. Mitsubishi is at the forefront of trying to develop affordable, mainstream electric vehicles. The company hopes to bring the iMiEV to market as early as 2009 and is also working on clean diesel engines and more efficient gas engines.

While the intent is certainly laudible, Drive@earth just seems a little clumsy. Perhaps something was lost in the translation. Hopefully they didn't pay a consultant too much money for this line that might have been better spent on the production development of iMiEV and other clean vehicles.

[Source: Mitsubishi]

From the outside looking in, electric car development programs seem to proceed at a snail's pace and are filled with many ambiguous meanderings. Even when company executives make lots of public statements, the waters stay muddied. A recent interview with Tohru Hashimoto, Corporate General Manager of the Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle business or the "MiEV Promotion Office" conducted by Stephen Clemenger and published on the EV World website, refreshingly goes some way to shed light on the reasons behind many of the decisions taken by that company - as well as it's path ahead.

After a brief history of Mitsubishi's involvement with battery electric cars since the 1960s and its more recent development program featuring the Colt EV MIEV and Lancer Evolution MIEV, Hashimoto explaines that they want to introduce an electric car to the "real market" as soon as possible. Some of the other, more significant points made are as follows;

• Mitsubishi would like to have a "lease type agreement" with individual customers (yes, we can hear your groans)
• A larger model iMiEV is in the works though the focus will be on the current configuration (pictured above) until after it launches
• In-wheel motors should be used by Mitsubishi in 5 to 10 years though a smaller companies may use them sooner
• Mitsubishi will add a range extender in future for larger models though it is unlikely to be a fuel cell (yes, we can hear your cheers)
• Mitsubishi has no interest in making Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) and will continue to manufacture cars with doors and seating for four (more cheers)
  

If you have the time for the entire interview click on the "read" link below and gain more insight into Mitsubishi's electric car future through the eyes of Tohru Hashimoto. Also, check out this morning's official statement from Mitsubishi on working with Peugeot on electric cars.

[Source: EV World]

We heard yesterday about reports in a Japanese newspaper that PSA Peugeot Citroen and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation would be working together on electric cars. Today, Mitsubishi and Peugeot released a statement describing their joint efforts, and it gives us a better idea of what we can expect:

• The project "will run over several months, relates to the development, the manufacture and the use of an electric powertrain for small urban vehicles."
• Working on EVs together " would be mutually beneficial."

The full details are available after the jump. PSA will bring its experience with EVs and electric powertrains to the joint effort, and Mitsubishi will contribute work from its Lithium Energy Japan joint venture (with GS Yuasa) "which is to supply large capacity and high performance lithium ion batteries for the i MiEV" (above). But wait, "over several months"? Is that all? Does this mean we're close to seeing results or just that the two companies only want to share a little bit of their own information?

The iMiEV, the production car based on the Nissan Mixim, (EDIT: badly worded and wrong), and who knows what other goodies became a little bit more real today with the report in the Nikkei business daily newspaper that Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot Citroen will work together on electric vehicles. The two companies will share technology, particularly about next-gen lithium-ion batteries. Nikkei said that Mitsubishi will offer PSA information on how best to convert electricity to drive power and how to prevent overheating in the batteries. According to Reuters, the two companies may also form a joint venture to build EVs. Mitsubishi had no official statement for Nikkei, but we do know that PSA and Mitsubishi recently announced a joint plant in Russia.

[Source: Reuters]