Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot-Citroen to compare EV notes
PSA Peugeot-Citroen and Mitsubishi prove friends are electric
Author: Chris Barker
Published: 18 June 2008
Not seven days since Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot-Citroen put the foundations down for its new SUV manufacturing facility near Moscow; the two global motoring giants confirm plans to brainstorm the concept of electric power trains in compact urban vehicles and city cars as core element of a new project. Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot-Citroen are putting collective electric power train heads together to see what plausible, feasible and workable solutions to the electrically-propelled vehicle question the fast evolving automotive double-act can come up with over the weeks and months ahead. 'Weird', 'wacky', yet 'wonderful' are undeniably three words that crop up whenever Citroen decide to ‘venture down new vehicle boulevards’, and Mitsubishi and Peugeot don’t need to be asked twice to don thinking caps either. The two companies aren’t strangers to co-habiting for the good of motoring market segments, as the collaborative Citroen C-Crosser/Peugeot 4007/Mitsubishi Outlander SUV affair technologically – and for the greater part, aesthetically – testifies. Although this particular arrangement sees Mitsubishi manufacturing and pre-packing an Outlander-shaped SUV chassis and underpinnings for both Citroen and Peugeot to un-pack and assemble complete with some distinctly galic design flourishes at their ends. What’s happening next in this blossoming romance is the conducting of a two-way feasibility study that will explore and determine how they can best utilise potential electric power trains within the confines of a small urban vehicle. To emphasise that they’re not simply engaging in a chin-stroking PR exercise, they’re building a joint-venture production installation near Moscow that will predominantly see SUVs for the burgeoning Russian market rolling out of. Although meeting rooms complete with white boards and PowerPoint presentation facilities will be available for these important electric vehicle-considering next phases of the relationship. Of course, Mitsubishi already boasts its own electric car – the i MiEV, a variation on the i City Car complete with a 250km range once its been charged for four hours in a domestic electric socket – going through the final stages of production with a view to being launched in Japan in 2009. Incidentally, it’s also toying with the idea of wrapping some up and sending them to the USA and Europe too thereafter.
And both French motoring heavyweights Peugeot and Citroen welded, screwed, bolted and stitched 10,000 electric vehicles together between 1995 and 2005, which they kept to themselves. However, using the Citroen AX, Saxo, Peugeot 106 and Citroen Berlingo/Peugeot Partner van as voltage-battered guinea pigs, the joint conglomerate had to prematurely halt its experimental programme on the grounds of recycling issues arising over the batteries it planned on using. What is clearer though, is that PSA Peugeot-Citroen has confirmed it’s moonlighting with fellow French firm – Venturi – to construct ‘leccy-powered versions on a Berlingo/Partner theme specifically for the country’s postal service. Meanwhile, Mitsubishi Motors has set up Lithium Energy Japan, with GS Yuasa and the Mitsubishi Corporation in its entirety. This deal provides the forthcoming i MiEV with a relentless supply of large capacity, high performance lithium ion batteries.
Tesla confirms UK prices for electric Roadster, and outlines plans to sell all-electric saloons and hatches in Europe and US by 2010.
New MyCar electric city car switched on to UK buyers demands for eco-savvy motoring at the touch of a button, as £8,995 CO2 emission free NICE vehicle means road tax and C-Charge consigned to history.
Electric-vehicle manufacturer NICE Car Company has released the first pictures of a new electric vehicle that will go on sale this year - the Ze-O.
UK electric car company Lightning will debut the all-electric zero-emissions Lightning GT EV at the British Motor Show on 23 July, promising a 250-mile range on a ten-minute charge.
Tesla Motors has announced that it will launch an all-electric saloon by 2010
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