Mitsubishi to launch electric car in US
Every once in a while there comes an automaker who manages to consistently remain resilient even amidst scandals and financial issues. Mitsubishi Motors is one of those automakers. As the smoke settles once again over the company, it now plans to offer the environmentally underserved US market a new electric car.
According to
Automotive News, Mitsubishi's small electric car will become available for sale in the United States sometime in the near future, though the exact timeframe has not been determined. It will not however resemble the MIEV Concept it unveiled in Detroit and Geneva in early 2006.
The vehicle will be powered by a lithium-ion battery but may also spawn a gasoline-hybrid version after initial introduction in Japan. Mitsubishi has been testing electric and hybrid vehicles in Japan for some time now but has not yet exported any of its models to the US.
According to the article, Mitsubishi Motors President Masuko believes electric vehicles are the obvious solution to environmental and emissions woes. For the moment, diesel vehicles have not found worldwide acceptance, and fuel cell technology is still far off in future.
Electric vehicles are successful in Japan and have slowly begun to gain acceptance in the UK as it enables their owners to navigate within the congestion zone and park at metered spaces free of charge. Emissions and traditional fuel costs also become a non-issue.
If Mitsubishi is right in believing these vehicles will find buyers in the US, it would certainly be a big step forward in decreasing pollution caused by idling cars in congested urban environments. Let's hope the Americans approve.
Venturi unveils Eco-friendly concepts in Paris
Having just returned from Paris and seen the superb creations on display at the Mondial de L'Automobile, the stand which was laden with the most futuristic concepts and which had the greatest forsight toward creating solutions to the detrimental environmental impact associated with automobiles was Venturi. The small Monaco-based automaker had not one but three radical designs which incorporated not only electricity, but also solar power to propel their creations.
The Astrolab vehicle (pictured) uses 3.6 cubic metres of photovoltaic cells covering the entire upper body structure of the car. It is said to use the lowest (16kw) energy of any vehicle in the world, and is simultaneously capable of recharging the latest generation NiMH Venturi NIV-7 batteries on the move due to the extensive solar panel usage. The company claim this is the first ever electro-solar hybrid vehicle.
The car is fabricated around an ultra lightweight carbon monocoque chassis, has a top speed of 120 km per hour, and is able to travel 110 km without needing a recharge. It will be made to order at a cost of €92,000 with the first vehicles scheduled for delivery in January, 2008.
Venturi also unveiled a new version of the Fetish, first unveiled at the 2004 Paris Motor Show. Since then the company has made significant strides in technological innovation, particularly with respect to their exclusive batteries.
This year's Fetish, powered by a mid-mounted electric induction engine placed atop its composite carbon-aluminium honeycomb chassis, produces roughly 241hp and 162 pound-ft. of torque.
The car’s body panels are also made entirely of carbon fiber in an attempt to keep weight of the Lotus Elise-sized vehicle down, but the 31 Lithium-ion LIV-7 batteries strategically placed within its frame means it still weighs nearly 2200lbs. Despite this, Venturi claim the car will reach 62mph in under 5 seconds and hit a top speed of 100mph.
Though it has never garnered huge sales, the Fetish is one of the most exclusive cars to own, electric or not. Only 25 will be built with an expected price of nearly 300,000 €.
