Mitsubishi Motors to advance sales of electric cars

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will start selling its i MiEV plug-in electric vehicle to retail customers by the end of 2009. The car is to be equipped with an advanced lithium ion battery developed with partners including GS Yuasa Corp. As a result, the i MiEV will be able to travel around 160km without a recharge. Mitsubishi Motors hopes to sell 2,000 i MiEVs in the first year and to boost the figure to 10,000 units by fiscal 2011. Another Japanese automaker, Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., the manufacturer of Subaru vehicles, also plans to start selling an electric car to businesses by next year. Nissan Motor Co. also is developing an electric car, to be launched in 2010. (July 10, 2008)