Mitsubishi Motors May Introduce Plug-in Hybrid Cars

June 19 (Bloomberg) -- Mitsubishi Motors Corp., aiming to be the first mass-producer of all-electric cars, plans to introduce plug-in hybrids as early as 2013 to meet tightening vehicle- emission regulations worldwide.

The carmaker will develop hybrids, which use gasoline engines and electric motors, as all-electric systems aren't efficient enough for sport-utility vehicles and other large models, Tohru Hashimoto, its head of electric-car development, said in a June 16 interview. Unlike conventional hybrids, plug- ins can store more energy after being charged at electrical outlets to provide power for gasoline-free driving.

Mitsubishi and other automakers have boosted investments in hybrid and electric technologies because of tougher emissions rules, including European standards that may come into effect from 2012. General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp., the world's largest automakers, plan to introduce plug-ins by 2010.

``Like all other automakers, Mitsubishi needs to have eco- cars, while clearing stricter rules and making a profit,'' said Koji Endo, a senior analyst at Credit Suisse Group in Tokyo. The company ``doesn't have enough resources to fund a new hybrid model,'' so it's ``natural'' to base the plug-ins on the all- electric models, he added.

Mitsubishi i - Road Test

It seems appropriate that the car with what must surely be the shortest model name in the history of the motor industry is also one of the smallest on sale in this country. The Mitsubishi i is one of those city cars which comprise a well-defined market segment of their own in Japan, and although these things have never been more than a minority interest in the UK (partly because it's rarely worth the trouble of importing them from halfway across the world) Mitsubishi reckons that demand for this one is far greater over here than the supply situation can cope with.

Part of the definition of Japanese city cars is that they can't have engines larger than 660cc. The i just qualifies, since it has a three-cylinder turbocharged petrol unit of 659cc. This produces a maximum of 57bhp, so it's pretty strong for its size, and although the performance figures don't look terrific the combination of that much power and very little weight make the car quite perky enough in most situations.

The engine and gearbox are in the back, and this gives the i an immediate advantage in town. With the major mechanical components at the other end of the car, the front carries very little weight and the steering is correspondingly fingertip-light; step from the i into any conventional front-wheel drive hatchback and you immediately realise that every turn you make in the latter involves hauling large lumps of metal on to a new course.

Mitsubishi Montero Now in India

Mitsubishi plans to launch a new model every six months in India. They have already plans for launching their SUV Mitsubishi Outlander in the Indian market by the end of this year. It further plans to add more products in India including Mitsubishi Montero.

According to Kazyuki Kambayashi, general manager (Asia and ASEAN) of Mitsubishi, “We are open to ideas as the small car market is booming in India and we are still studying it. But we want to strengthen our hold in the SUV segment as Pajero and Montero are still our best selling vehicles worldwide”. The company shall also focus on developing electric cars which are primarily being made by Honda and Toyota.

Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Motors said today that it would display two of its new electric minicars at the 2008 New York International Auto Show.

Mitsubishi said the kei-class is limited to a 660cc engine and a 132.9 inches long by 58 inches wide footprint.

The i MiEV uses a 330 volt lithium-ion battery developed by Lithium Energy Japan, a venture of Japan's GS Yuasa Power Supply and Mitsubishi.

Mitsubishi said the the 47 kilowatt electric motor offers improved performance over the 64 horsepower gasoline version, and said the little electric car can run for up to 100 miles on a single charge.

The i MiEV Sport concept car is a coupe variation on the i MiEV and uses multiple electric motors.

Mitsubishi said two 20 kW electric motors, one built into each front wheel, work together with a single 47 kW motor that drives the rear wheels.

In addition to the green inner workings, the concept car also sports heat-absorbing window glass to improve the efficiency of the air conditioning, as well as LEDs for the rear lamps and interior lighting.

And going over the top with clean energy, the carmaker said i MiEV Sport has solar panels on the roof, wind turbines in the front grill, and a regenerative braking system.

Mitsubishi plans to tap Chinese market

Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will begin exporting the Eclipse sports car to China from its underused factory in the U.S. state of Illinois this year, its president said on Tuesday.

The struggling Japanese automaker last week announced a new medium-term business plan that counts on emerging markets such as Russia, Ukraine, China and the Middle East to make up for an expected fall in sales in Japan and North America.

"Globally, we're running short of capacity at our factories," President Osamu Masuko told Reuters in an interview at the Geneva International Motor Show.

"The exception is the United States, but we're going to try to fill that by boosting exports, including by starting shipments to China."

The company's factory in Normal, Illinois, has annual production capacity of 110,000 vehicles, but now builds about 70,000 to 80,000 cars. It has been trying to fill the gap with exports to the Middle East, the Americas, Russia and Ukraine.

Masuko said the Eclipse would probably go on sale in China around October or November, with sales expected to hit about 1,000 units this year.

Mitsubishi Motors' factories in Japan and Thailand are running at full tilt, while its Dutch plant will reach full production of 90,000 units this year, Masuko said. The company last month announced the closure of a loss-making factory in Australia.

Mitsubishi celebrates price drop of new cars

A range of new cars from Mitsubishi is being promoted this week by the brand, which lowered the price of the Colt CZC Coupe Cabriolet in November.

The CZC range now starts at £9,999 and Mitsubishi reported a sales increase of 521 per cent since the price drop.

Car loans customers could pay the above for the CZC1 - the cost of which represents a decrease of £3,000 from the original figure.

The model comes with air-conditioning, ABS and the electric-folding hard-top roof as standard, in addition to driver, passenger and side airbags.

Mitsubishi Motors aims to double profit over three years

Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors said on Friday it aimed to more than double its annual net profit over the next three years by boosting sales in emerging markets.

The company aims to cut costs, improve efficiency and boost sales, particularly in resource-rich regions such as the Middle East, Latin America and Russia, the automaker said in a business plan.

The new mid-term business strategy comes as the fallout from the subprime credit crisis weighs on demand for cars in the US and as the yen strengthens against the dollar, creating a headwind for Japanese carmakers.

"We reworked our mid-term business plan to reflect the latest developments, such as the subprime loan problems, the yen's strengthening, higher crude oil prices and higher raw materials prices," group president Osamu Masuko said.