October 16th, 2006
Japan's Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, the makers of the now classic Pajero, has announced its intention of brining commercial electric vehicles by the end of the decade.
The Tokyo-based automotive company said that its third electric vehicle prototype called the iMiEV (Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle) will feature longer driving range, shorter charging times, and hopefully friendlier prices. All of this thanks to the development of advanced, lightweight, lithium-ion batteries.
Is 2010 a realistic target? A Mitsubishi Motors spokesman said that without the necessary infrastructure to support electric vehicles, it may not be. But adequate investments in electric car infrastructures may do the trick and prove more cost-effective than say, hydrogen refueling, which at present prices is non commercially-viable.