Mitsubishi plots electrifying future

The green revolution, it appears, is well and truly here as Mitsubishi has announced its intention to market a small electric car in Japan and the US.

Mitsubishi Motors president Osamu Masuko was recently quoted as saying the vehicle -- powered by a lithium-ion battery -- would debut in its home market of Japan before launching in the US.

Masuko suggested a hybrid version of the car might also be offered to broaden its appeal.

The obstacles to date in selling electric cars are high production costs, limited range and the huge weight penalties imposed by the heavy battery packs.

That said, the introduction of lithium-ion batteries has been a significant breakthrough as they store twice the energy of similarly sized nickel-metal hydride batteries.

Although the company hasn’t as yet stated its sales targets or when exactly the car will launch, it's believed a formal announcement is due shortly.

"From an environmental standpoint, we believe the electric car is the way to go because it has zero emissions," Masuko was recently quoted as saying at a Mitsubishi dealer meeting.

"Fuel cell technology is still off in the future. Diesels are big in Europe but not in Japan and the U.S."

Although not as well known as Japanese counterparts Toyota and Honda for its hybrid technology, Mitsubishi has been experimenting with it for some time.

One of the first tangible signs of what lay in store was provided by the hybrid Concept-CT MIEV (pictured) at January's Detroit motor show.

The pint-sized Concept-CT MIEV featured suicide doors, all-wheel drive and a 1.1-litre petrol engine supplemented by in-wheel electric motors at all four corners -- and it's these that provide the AWD, but without requiring a weight-adding transmission.

Mitsubishi executives have hinted that the technology pioneered by the concept may debut in production form in the next-generation Colt, which is due before the end of the decade.