Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has built a new research vehicle, the Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle (MiEV) for a next-generation EV development project.
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The electric vehicle (EV) will be used for joint research programmes with power companies that have been working on the promotion of EVs. The power companies will conduct field tests, gather data and evaluate the commercial viability of the vehicle. MMC will provide power companies with EVs and analyse test data collected by them.
The new research EV is based on MMC’s “i” mini-car, and named “i MiEV”. i MiEV is powered by a compact and lightweight motor and high-energy density lithium-ion batteries. After removing the i’s rear-mounted interbnal combustion, a single motor is mounted in its place and the i MiEV becomes electric-powered with few modifications to the body structure. In addition to the joint research programmes, MMC will further improve the components of i MiEV such as the battery system, motor and EV electronic control unit for future commercial application.
MMC will begin joint research with various Japanese power companies in January 2007. MMC will provide each with i MiEVs. By testing i MiEV, the power companies will evaluate how the vehicle is applied to their business and how a fast-charge infrastructure may be developed for EVs.
In the autumn of 2007, MMC will begin fleet testing in order to verify the vehicle’s technical capabilities in daily use and to evaluate the commercial acceptance in collaboration with additional power companies. MMC will provide the power companies with i MiEVs for the fleet tests. The data collected from the test of daily use will be used to assess the commercial viability of EVs.
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By GlobalDataMMC is also working on other environmental technologies such as clean diesel engines and bio-fuel engines and recently launched a natural conservation project called the “Pajero Forest & Local Mountain Restoration Initiative”, which supports conservation and management of Japan’s forests.
Mitsubishi Motors Europe spokesman Daniel Nacass said: “MMC pursues the best practical ways to market fuel efficient vehicles in different regions as soon as possible in order to offer the quickest response to environmental issues.
“For instance: in a Japanese context, EVs such as the just announced MiEV research car, in a European context, a family of Euro-5 clean diesel engines by 2010.
“Today’s MiEV is limited to Japan, first as a research vehicle. The aim is still to have a minicar based EV (but not necessarily “i”-based) on the Japanese market by 2010 but it’s too early for further details.”
Nacass noted that the in-wheel motor technology announced in May 2005 (“MIEV” as opposed to today’s new “MiEV”) is still being developed, in particular to overcome its two main drawbacks: weight and cost.
“EVs such as the MiEV announced today are being prioritised as a quicker way to reach marketability and therefore to have an earlier effect on our environment,” he said.
