Mitsubishi Motors has trailed behind most other automakers in terms of electric car and hybrid development.
Beyond the Mitsubishi i electric car, the only other vehicle of note they’ve been developing is an Outlander plug-in hybrid SUV. Now, with the 2013 Geneva Motor Show coming up, the Japanese automaker is upping its game a little by announcing two concept vehicles focused upon next-generation advanced technologies.
The first Mitsubishi concept is known as the GR-HEV. It is described as a sport utility truck which makes use of a FR3 diesel-hybrid system that is under development. The hybrid’s electric vehicle system is said to achieves on-road CO2 emission levels of below 149 g/km. It also uses a next-generation 4WD system which incorporates the Super Select 4WD found in the Pajero series and a Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) vehicle dynamics integrated control system that offers stability traction reportedly under all road conditions.
The other offering being set for showcase in Geneva is what might be described as the next generation i-MiEV. Called the CA-MiEV, it incorporates what is described as next-generation EV technologies under development at the company, such as high-energy density batteries and newer EV systems (motor, inverter, regenerative braking and wireless charging system). Together with a lighter design it achieves a cruising range of 300 km, or around 185 miles.
The CA-MiEV also, according to Hybrid Cars, will sport “magnetic resonance wireless charging technology and smartphone activated functions.”
We will have to wait for the rest of the details, such as whether or not these vehicles might actually become production models, until the Geneva event.
