Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) — Mitsubishi Motors Corp., the maker of the i-MiEV electric minicar, will display a plug-in hybrid concept sport-utility vehicle at the Tokyo Motor Show this month, as it seeks to add larger alternative-energy models.
The PX-MiEV has a fuel economy of 50 kilometers per liter (118 miles per gallon), according to the carmaker. The SUV has a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged at a household outlet. Mitsubishi Motors aims to introduce a similar vehicle around 2013, said Noboru Mori, an advanced technology specialist at the company.
Mitsubishi Motors joins carmakers including Toyota Motor Corp. in planning to release plug-in hybrids. Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, plans to deliver its first plug-in Prius hybrids with lithium batteries to U.S., Japanese and European fleets later this year. General Motors Co.’s plug-in Volt is scheduled to go on sale late next year, and Ford Motor Co. plans to introduce plug-in hybrid models in 2012.
