Mitsubishi Motors puts its commitment to be the electric vehicle front-runner with the fuel-efficient plug-in hybrid and the concept cars that it presented at the 41st Tokyo Motor Show in Makuhari Messe Convention Center in Chiba.

Mitsubishi Motors is showing two concept cars that embody the company’s approach to the EV and that point to the direction the company will be following.

First, the  Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV which is powered by the new Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid System. Primarily using electric motors for propulsion, the system also incorporates a gasoline engine that can, as required, turn a generator to power the motors when battery charge is low or, at higher speeds, provide an additional source of motive power.

The second concept car is the i-MiEV Cargo which is derived from the i-MiEV production model.  This concept vehicle  proposes a wide spectrum of EV use that range from private to business needs, primarily for city use. This vehicle has two seats with an expanded cabin space.  It will have its world premiere at the motor show.

"We believe that EVs are the ultimate eco-cars, emitting zero CO2 while being driven.  Moving forward, step by step, we plan to add plug-in hybrids to our lineup, nurturing our core business," Mr. Osamu Masuko, president of Mitsubishi Motors, said during the press presentation.

"We have already delivered 600 of the i-MiEVs that went on sale from July this year to corporations and municipalities in Japan. In 2010, we want to see individuals in i-MiEVs. We plan to export right-hand drive i-MiEVs to England, Hong Kong and New Zealand, then full-scale export to 11 European countries from the end of 2010.  We will escalate the popularizaton of electric vehicles and roll out the i-MiEV as our global strategic vehicle," he said.

Also on display are other examples of environmental technology either under development or already to be found in Mitsubishi Motors’ production models.

Included are: the MiEV House concept, which will show the growing possibilities offered by the EV in our daily lives, and Mitsubishi Motors’ own “Green Plastic” plant-based resin technology.

Also on display is the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV, a new-generation plug-in hybrid crossover that delivers both  outstanding environmental and road performance. Extending the active range of the i-MiEV city car,  this concept also satisfies the need for mobility that combines occupant comfort with powerful performance.

The Mitsubishi  Concept PX-MiEV is powered by the all-new Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid System which is designed primarily to drive the vehicle in all-electric mode while using a gasoline engine to
generate electricity and to assist the electric motors when required.

Depending on the energy remaining in the drive battery and on driving conditions, the system automatically switches between three drive modes: all-electric EV, on-the-move generating EV, and Motor + Engine.

The system allows the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV to return super-low fuel consumption figures. The concept is fitted with Mitsubishi’s new S-AWC (Super All Wheel Control) advanced vehicle handling control system that is built around torque and braking control at each wheel and incorporates electronically-controlled E-AYC (Electric-powered Active Yaw Control) which uses a differential motor to control rear wheel torque split.

A total of 16 vehicles are displayed at the Mitsubishi booth.