GENEVA — The world got a good look at what shape future Mitsubishi electric vehicles may take, courtesy of two key offerings from the Japanese automaker at the 2009 Geneva Auto Show. The global debut of the Mitsubishi i MiEV Sport Air hints at the direction the automaker's electric vehicles may take in the future, while the prototype i MiEV concept is a precursor to the EV the company will debut in Europe in 2010.
The Mitsubishi i MiEV Sport Air is a four-passenger rear-wheel-drive electric vehicle that is noteworthy for its teardrop-shaped body and detachable clear roof panel. Features include a second-generation lithium-ion battery module and an electric motor that generates 80 horsepower and 170 pound-feet of torque.
Giving fuel to the theory that the color blue is the best psychological choice for a "green" vehicle, Mitsubishi gives the i MiEV Sport Air a sky-blue exterior color and carries the blue theme into the cockpit, with blue lighting for the gauges.
Mitsubishi has tweaked the latest version of the prototype i MiEV versus the i MiEV scheduled for introduction in Japan this summer. "Front and rear tracks have been widened and front and rear overhangs have been extended to provide the higher levels of pedestrian protection expected in Europe," the automaker said in a statement. The four-passenger prototype bundles a lithium-ion battery pack and a 63-hp electric motor.
Inside Line says: These two are worth a good, hard look because versions of them may end up in your driveway at some point. — Anita Lienert, Correspondent
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