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Home | Auto Shows | Tokyo Motor Show | Tokyo Preview: Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV and i-MiEV Cargo

Tokyo Preview: Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV and i-MiEV Cargo

30 September, 2009 01:38:00

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Mitsubishi will show the PX-MiEV plug-in hybrid concept crossover and i-MiEV Cargo at the upcoming Tokyo Motor Show.

Mitsubishi says that the PX-MiEV has a fuel economy of 50 kilometers per liter (117.6 mpg US).

The PX-MiEV can run in all-electric or gasoline-electric mode, tapping both the engine and battery. In electric-only mode, the PX-MiEV has a range of 30 miles.

The Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV's front and rear wheels are powered by two permanent magnet synchronous motors and is also fitted with a 1.6L DOHC MIVEC gasoline engine which can power the front wheels as well as work as a generator.

In addition, the vehicle comes with the newly-developed Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid System in which electronic circuitry automatically switches to the optimum drive mode for different driving conditions and remaining energy in the drive battery to extract maximum efficiency from the electric motors and from the gasoline engine.

The Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV also utilizes the MiEV OS (MiEV Operating System) which selects the optimum drive mode through integrated control of the EV components and the gasoline engine as well as controls optimum electrical charge and output in response to remaining battery energy through constant monitoring of the drive battery. With these, a pleasing, safe, and comfortable ride is achieved while conserving energy.

In addition, to maximize effective use of the drive battery, the vehicle is equipped with a power supply mode that allows the use of some battery power to supply domestic appliances or as an emergency power source in the event of a natural disaster.

Mitsubishi's second concept is the i-MiEV Cargo – essentially an electric plug-in version of the i-MiEV with a lot of extra rear space.

Like its i-MiEV base model, the cargo version will have a range of 100 miles on a full charge

The luggage area features space-efficient cubic dimensions which, says Mitsubishi, "allows owners to exercise their imagination fully in adapting it for whatever use they choose – whether for business use, where maximum payload space is required, to leisure and other individual owner uses".

Both models go on sale in Japan in April next year. Mitsubishi started selling its first battery-powered electric vehicle, the i-MiEV, in July and plans to sell plug-in hybrid versions of the car in 2013.

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