Amsterdam / Geneva, March 3rd, 2009

MITSUBISHI MOTORS AT THE 2009 GENEVA MOTOR SHOW

- Reshaping the Future -

Today, with the opening of the 79th Geneva Motor Show*, Mitsubishi Motors confirms its renewed ambitions and commitment:

• Shifting from a SUV-focused nameplate to being a supplier of non-mainstream passenger cars / crossovers (Colt, Lancer, Grandis, Outlander, etc,..) with an SUV presence (Pajero, L200).

• Positioning itself as one of the leaders in the area of electric vehicle (EV) technology and expanding this expertise to reach over time a not insignificant share of its volume with cars featuring green technologies (EVs such as i MiEV, low CO₂ packages as for the new Colt ClearTec, etc,…).

• Longer term, exploring the potential of EVs (high torque characteristics, instant acceleration, low centre of gravity) to bring a new dimension to its sporting heritage and further substance to its Drive@earth global tagline: the mission assigned today to the i MiEV SPORT AIR concept.

* Press Days: March 3rd & 4th  / Public Days: March 5th-15th  (www.salon-auto.ch)

1. i MiEV SPORT AIR

Blending sporting heritage with EV leading expertise, Mitsubishi Motors has just taken that upside down view to create the “clear cutaway” roof i MiEV SPORT AIR.

One step beyond being merely green, this zero on-road CO₂ emission racy concept builds upon those EV fundamentals, marrying:

• the powerful acceleration and high torque inherent to electric motors.
• the safe driving dynamics that stem from i MiEV’s lithium-ion battery pack, ideally located within its long wheelbase and the low centre of gravity it therefore implies.
  

1. Design
   
   A derivative of the acclaimed and equally zero CO₂ emission 2007 i MiEV Sport show car, the longer (+ 20 cm) and taller (+ 12 cm) i MiEV SPORT AIR trades the cheeky look of its predecessor for the more technical approach of its teardrop shape: from the clamshell effect of its deep(er) windshield and diminutive bonnet to the sharper shape of its front end – complete with an inverted Jet Fighter “grille”, or the flush glazing over the B-pillar.
   
   Appropriately for an EV, a semi-transparent embedded solar panel is used on the bonnet and “clear cutaway” roof panel, while the “printed circuit board” motif continues inside, highlighting points inside the cabin.
   
   Inside, i MiEV SPORT AIR offers a welcoming ambience in a design that uses organic shapes and lighting to create a comfortable and restful space. The wrap-around cockpit design, on the other hand, is styled to alert the driver to the high performance potential of the car the moment he sits behind the wheel. The main controls and switches are all ergonomically grouped around the dial-type shifter, making for more positive location and operation by the driver. Mitsubishi’s proprietary Green Plastics
   (http://media.mitsubishi-motors.com/pressrelease/e/corporate/detail1420.html)are used for the carpeting, the seat back panels and side covers.
   
   i MiEV SPORT AIR features exterior and interior colouring that takes “Japanese Technology” as its theme in projecting both a friendly, approachable image and high-tech looks.
   
   
2. EV system
   
   i MiEV SPORT AIR employs the same rear-midship layout as i MiEV but uses a more powerful version of the permanent magnet synchronous electric motor that powers the base model, generating 60 kW of power (vs. i MiEV’s 47 kW) and 230 Nm of torque (180 Nm.) The car also exploits its long wheelbase to locate the large-capacity lithium-ion battery system under the floor deck.
   
   
3. Body
   
   To lower the centre of gravity and increase driving stability the main EV system components (battery module, inverter, battery charger) are located as low as possible. The roof panel is made of lightweight plastic to facilitate fitting and removal as well as to further lower the car’s centre of gravity.
   
   i MiEV SPORT AIR’s modular body structure uses tailgate panels and plastic body to reduce weight around the rear axle where the powertrain and EV system components are installed and thereby achieve an ideal 50:50 front/rear weight distribution. Of hybrid design, the body uses aluminium for the rear suspension and rear body.
   
   
4. Specifications  
   

2.    i MiEV (prototype)

1. Design
   
   With a view to its introduction on the European market during FY2010, the prototype i MiEV features several changes compared to the Japanese-spec. i MiEV due to be introduced in Japan in the summer of 2009, starting with the shift to left-hand drive: considered during the early development stages of “i” but never implemented, this evolution did not impose significant changes to the car’s architecture.
   
   Furthermore, in order to expand its appeal to more open European suburban environments, Mitsubishi Motors engineers have opted for the straightforward solution of wider front and rear tracks (front: + 95 mm / rear: + 135 mm) with an overall width of now 1,520 mm, vs. 1,475 mm for the original i MiEV. In combination with the car’s long wheelbase (2,550 mm) and the low(er) centre of gravity brought by the centrally located under-floor battery pack, the i MiEV prototype can tackle European driving conditions with aplomb. As a result, the front and rear ends had to be re-styled to house these wider tracks and logically, comply with European legal requirements.
   
   Along those lines, they also accommodate longer front and rear overhangs (+ 55 mm overall), meant to provide the higher levels of pedestrian protection required in Europe as well as better occupant protection in the event of a rear-end shunt, leading to an overall length of 3,450 mm vs. 3,395 mm for the Japanese market i MiEV.
   
   Inside, the design features simple, clean styling and with a dial-type shifter and extensive use of circular shapes for the air vents and other elements, creating a welcoming interior space.
   
   The snow-white body and ice-blue interior colour derive from a “glacier” theme that was designed to evoke a strong ecological image. The printed circuit board pattern used in the surfaces and motifs adds a high-tech look to the interior.
   
   
2. Drivetrain
   
   This i MiEV prototype, like i MiEV, uses a unique rear-midship layout which in a gasoline-fuelled car places the engine just in front of the rear wheels. In today’s i MiEV prototype, the engine and fuel tank found in an engine-driven vehicle are replaced by the electric motor, inverter, lithium-ion battery module and other EV system components.
   
   The rear-midship layout offers several merits including a long wheelbase that provides more interior space. In addition, the location of the heavier EV system components under the floor deck lowers the centre of gravity and realises greater vehicle stability at higher speeds.
   
   Fast, zippy, soothing, uniquely quiet, safe, comfortable, and with the user-friendliness of its 4-door / 4-passenger configuration, the zero on-road CO₂ emission i MiEV prototype should lead to the first practical modern electric car to be soon made available by any major manufacturer operating in the region.
   
   
3. Specifications
   

Note:                                       Pajero is Montero in Spain and Shogun in the UK.

ENDS

For further information please contact the Mitsubishi Press Office on 01285 647200

Andy Wertheim, General Manager Press & Public Affairs a.wertheim@mitsubishi-cars.co.uk
Nic Reglar, Press Officer, Product Affairs & Events n.reglar@mitsubishi-cars.co.uk
Jack Bowes, Press Officer, Product Affairs j.bowes@mitsubishi-cars.co.uk

Other Mitsubishi press releases and pictures can be found on www.mitsubishipress.co.uk