Japanese carmakers focus on plug-in hybrids

Japanese automakers are scrambling to develop environmentally friendly vehicles, focusing on plug-in hybrids that could be recharged at home. Mitsubishi Motors Corp. is developing a series hybrid system, in which the car runs on an electric motor, with a gasoline engine that will generate electricity when the battery is short of power. Mitsubishi plans to install the new system in mid- and full-size vehicles, such as the Outlander and the Pajero. Honda Motor Co. is working on a plug-in hybrid that runs on an electric motor for short distances, backed up by a combustion engine that will kick in when electricity is drained. (November 23, 2008)