STILL CONCEPT ONLY

Mitsubishi will be showing a total of 15 vehicles at the 42. Tokyo Motor Show. Two cars will make their world premiere at the show: the Mitsubishi Mirage and the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II SUV (the first PX-MiEV had its premier two years ago in Tokyo Motor Show) featuring “green technology” with its unique plug-in hybrid drive-train, effectively extinguishes many negative perceptions of SUVs (the first PX-MiEV had its premier also in Tokyo Motor Show two years ago).

Mitsubishi’s plug-in hybrid system fuses EV technology derived from the Mitsubishi i-MiEV with a small conventional engine. This combination provides not only a combined fuel efficiency of more than 60km per litre, but also very high levels of environmental performance while maintaining a cruising range on a par with conventional engine-driven vehicles (over 800km).

The system uses high-capacity batteries that allow the vehicle to cover over 50km in all-electric mode alone, allowing it to be driven solely as an EV for most everyday situations. Depending on power consumption the system will start the engine automatically as a generator, and the engine can also be used to help drive the wheels as necessary. At the same time, the driver can also switch to Battery Charge Mode while on the move. A socket fitted to the vehicle allows the electricity stored in the drive batteries to be used to power electric appliances when camping or in other outdoor pursuits. In addition, the quick-charge port is vehicle-to-home (V2H) compatible.

Another feature of the second generation of Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV is its drive-train which uses a newly developed twin-motor four-wheel-drive system mated to Mitsubishi’s S-AWC (Super-All Wheel Control) advanced traction control system, based on the four-wheel-drive technology developed and honed in the Lancer Evolution X models. It provides 100% instant off-the-line torque inherent to electric motors, giving it acceleration comparable to that of a 3.0-litre V6 engine.

Alongside these the RVR compact SUV (ASX in the European market) will be powered by a new MIVEC engine with Auto Stop & Go (AS&G) idle-stop technology, and the Pajero (Shogun the UK market) SUV powered by a “clean diesel” engine.