Tokyo – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will be showing a total of 15 vehicles (12 on Press Day 1) at the 42nd Tokyo Motor Show, held at the Tokyo Big Sight convention centre in Tokyo from November 30 through to December 11 (open to the public from December 3).

Two cars will make their world premiere at the show: the Mirage and the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II. They respectively embody two major pillars to the company’s product strategy outlined in the JUMP 2013 mid-term business plan: global strategic models focused on emerging markets and models featuring “green technology”. The Mirage compact car embodies the global model strategy while the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II SUV features “green technology” with its unique plug-in hybrid drivetrain.

Also at the Mitsubishi Motors booth will be the MINICAB-MiEV light commercial electric vehicle, due to be released in the Japanese market in December this year and the i-MiEV new-generation electric vehicle (EV) which is currently on sale in countries all over the world including European countries, Australia and is to be rolled out in the United States by the end of this year.

Alongside these will be theRVR compact SUV (ASX or Outlander Sport in some markets) powered by a new MIVEC1 engine that incorporates MMC’s Auto Stop & Go (AS&G) idle-stop technology, and the Pajero (Montero or Shogun in some markets) SUV powered by a “clean diesel” engine.

The Mitsubishi Motors booth will also feature the MiEV House, a concept of a “smart house” that tackles energy and global warming by managing energy usage between the home itself, “smart appliances,” EVs/plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV), and “smart grids” all at the same time through HEMS (Home Energy Management System) and MMC’s own EIS (Electric Vehicle Integration System).

HEMS makes life more comfortable for people living in homes installed with it by continually monitoring power available to power being used and optimizing both so that effects of energy shortages and energy costs can be reduced. Connected to a “smart home” with HEMS, EIS constantly monitors EV/PHEV battery usage and efficiency (which varies on how the EV/PHEV is driven), feeds this information to HEMS, which then optimizes charging from the house so that the EV/PHEValways has enough energy in it.

In addition to the MiEV House will be the MiEV Café, a relaxation space powered by the battery of an electric vehicle parked right beside it. The electric vehicle will power the MiEV Café through a new heavy-duty power supply device, also on display, that enables the supply of up to 1500W from EV and PHEV batteries. The heavy-duty power supply device is to go on sale in Japan within this fiscal year.

1: Mitsubishi Innovative Valve timing Electronic Control system

Outline of World Premieres

1. Mirage
The Mirage’s2 design focused on compactness, affordability, and high fuel efficiency in order to fit the needs of emerging markets as an affordable entry-level model as well as needs of advanced markets for fuel efficiency and low-CO2emission. In addition, the Mirage features good maneuverability and easy drivabilityinherent to a compact car while also providing a comfortable interior space for five adults.

MMC has targeted top-of-class fuel efficiency (Japan market version) of 30km perlitre through a variety of measures including painstaking reduction in weight throughout almost every part of the car, reduction in rolling resistance and higher efficiency through detailed improvements to the engine, transmission, brakes andtyres, and an aerodynamic body that reduces air resistance and drag. The new Mirage is due to go on sale first in Thailand in March 2012.

Mirage specifications (Japan market version)

Overall length 3710 mm
Overall width 1665 mm
Overall height 1490 mm
Occupants 5
Engine 1.0L 3-cylinder MIVEC with Auto Stop & Go (AS&G)
Transmission CVT
Target fuel efficiency 30 km/L
Drivetrain 2WD
Tyres 165/65R14

2: Stems from the English word “mirage.” The name was first used for the Mirage series developed for resource/energy/space-saving and high-performance in a compact package which debuted in Japan in March 1978. The new Mirage concept inherits the essence of that first series: cleverly getting the most performance and function out of a limited space.

2. Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II

MMC has been focusing its EV technology in the Japanese minicar class. MMCbecame the first major automobile manufacturer to bring a mass-produced electric vehicle to market when it rolled out the i-MiEV next-generation EV in 2009.

The company will introduce its second mass-produced EV—the MINICAB-MiEVminicar-class light commercial EV—in December this year. These models are very popular as city commuters – vehicles used for transporting small groups of passengers over short distances in urban areas.

Not anymore. The Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II is Mitsubishi Motors’ idea for a mid-size plug-in hybrid PHEV model that offers a long cruising range demanded by mid-size and larger vehicles.

The Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II contains a state-of-the-art drivetrain derived from MMC’s already existing EV technology that delivers the environmental performance and quietness inherent to an EV in an SUV package that provides more comfortable motoring and allows for higher utility outside of a city commuter.

The Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II, with its high environmental performance and fuel efficiency, effectively extinguishes many negative perceptions of SUVs. MMC’sunique plug-in hybrid system fuses EV technology derived from the i-MiEV with a small conventional engine that features MMC’s latest fuel and environmental efficiency technologies. This combination provides not only a combined fuel efficiency3 of more than 60km per litre, far superior than that of a conventional engine-driven car, but also very high levels of environmental performance while maintaining a cruising range on a par with conventional engine-driven vehicles (over 800 km).

MMC’s plug-in hybrid system uses high-capacity batteries that allow the vehicle to cover over 50 km in all-electric mode alone, allowing it to be driven solely as an EVfor most everyday situations. Depending on power consumption and remaining battery charge, the system will start the engine automatically as a generator and the engine can also be used to help drive the wheels as necessary.

In addition, with the push of a button, the driver has the freedom to select Battery Drive Mode when he/she wishes to drive quietly and emissions-free (at sufficient battery levels) in residential areas or the countryside using pure EV power. At the same time, the driver can also switch to Battery Charge Mode while on the move, controlling use of battery power and using the engine as a generator to charge the batteries.

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, or to provide an emergency power source. In addition, the quick-charge port is vehicle-to-home (V2H) compatible.

Another feature of the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II, apart from its outstanding environmental performance, is its drivetrain which uses a newly developed twin-motor four-wheel-drivesystem 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, S-AWC delivers pure driving pleasure by maneuvering effortlessly to the driver’s will while maintaining high levels of stability and safety.

In addition to superior handling, the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II provides 100 per cent instant off-the-line torque inherent to electric motors, giving it acceleration comparable to that of a 3.0-litre V6 engine. The Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II takes environmentally-friendly vehicles to a new level with its unique blend of fuel and environmental efficiency, performance, and utility.

3: Representative fuel efficiency figure based on a combination of the vehicle’s fuel efficiency when driven in all-electric mode, called the plug-in fuel efficiency, and when driven in hybrid mode, called the hybrid fuel efficiency.

Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II specifications

Overall length 4660 mm
Overall width 1830 mm
Overall height 1680 mm
Occupants 5
Motors

(front and rear)

Type Permanent magnet synchronous
Max. output 60kW each
Engine Type 2.0L MIVEC 4-cylinder
Generating capacity 70kW
Target motor-only driving range > 50 km
Target combined cruising range > 800 km
Target combined fuel efficiency > 60 km/L
Drivetrain Twin-motor 4WD with S-AWC
Tyres 235/55R18

Mitsubishi Motors lineup on Press Day 1 (November 30)

Model No. on display Notes
MIRAGE 2 World premiere
Mitsubishi Concept
PX-MiEV II
1 World premiere
i-MiEV 4 Japanese market model x 2; North American market modelx1; European market model x 1
MINICAB-MiEV 2

RVR

1 Japan-spec model powered by new MIVEC engine with Auto Stop & Go (AS&G), also called ASX or Outlander Sport in some markets
Delica D:5 1 Powered by new MIVEC engine with Auto Stop & Go (AS&G).
Pajero 1 Powered by MMC’s own “clean diesel” engine
Total 12

Mitsubishi Motors lineup after Press Day 1

Model No. on display Notes
MIRAGE 2 World premiere
MITSUBISHI ConceptPX-MiEV II 1 World premiere
i-MiEV 2
MINICAB-MiEV 2
RVR 1 Japan-spec model powered by new MIVEC engine with Auto Stop & Go (AS&G), also called ASX or Outlander Sport in some markets
Galant Fortis 1 Japan-spec model powered by new MIVEC engine with Auto Stop & Go (AS&G), also called Lancer or Lancer EX in some markets
Delica D:5 2 One model powered by new MIVEC engine with Auto Stop & Go (AS&G).
Pajero 1 Powered by MMC’s own “clean diesel” engine.
Outlander 1
Delica D:2 1
Delica D:3 1
Total 15