Mitsubishi Motors Unveils New Mid-Term Business Plan; i MiEV Goes Global
29 February 2008
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| Mitsubishi Motors will emphasize its environmental strategies primarily in mature markets. Click to enlarge. |
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has unveiled its new mid-term business plan—Step Up 2010—for fiscal years 2008 through 2010 (ending March 31, 2011). Target FY 2010 sales is 1,422,000 units, a 6.4% increase over the fiscal 2007 forecast of 1,337,000 units. For new product planning, Mitsubishi draws a distinction between financial responsibility and environmental responsibility.
In the area of financial responsibility, the company plans to expand the number of its mid-sized platform models, and to add a new SUV based on its one-ton pickup. In the area of environmental responsibility, the company will add a smaller, “lower impact” SUV, adapt its minicars for overseas markets and add a global model, and bring its i MiEV electric vehicle to mature world markets.
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| Accelerating the i MiEV. Click to enlarge. |
In the area of environmental technology, the company will concentrate on the development of core technologies, including emphasis on the development of clean diesel engines and the high-efficiency automated manual transmission Twin Clutch SST (Sport Shift Transmission).
In Brazil, a focus market for the company, Mitsubishi will strive to increase sales by filling out its lineup of full-range (0%-100% gasoline / bioethanol-compatible) flexible fuel vehicles (FFV).
In North America, Mitsubishi says that it will primarily be working on improving the brand image in the mid- to long term and working with its dealers. The focus for its US-based production plant will be continued efforts at overall cost-cutting, including fixed costs, and by expanding export opportunities.
In the mature Western European market, Mitsubishi Motors will address environmental awareness and tightening CO2 emissions regulations by promoting environmental technologies and compact vehicles. At the same time, in the expanding Central European market, it will strive to increase sales with a focus on SUVs.
Mitsubishi also has identified a set of “Focus” markets for expansion: Russia and the Ukraine; the Middle East; China; and India.
They could find a large market in Brazil for FFVs and if they got into PHEV, they could make a come back in the U.S. They are known for innovation, so they need to stay on that curve or be just another car company.
Posted by: sjc | 29 February 2008 at 08:44 AM
Awesome!
Bring them Canada!
I want one!
Posted by: stinson | 29 February 2008 at 08:52 AM
Havent heard much news on their MIEV ideas. Wonder what the status of that is. They are spot-on in improving their brand image here in the US. Alot of people mention to me in passing how Mitsubishi vehicles are like "disposable cars". I feel an affordable MIEV offering here in the US would do alot to change that image, if done right.
Posted by: Mark A | 29 February 2008 at 09:32 AM
YOU CAN RUN A MITSUBISHI ON WATER
Put a container of water under your hood. Stick in two electrodes, one to ignition,one to a ground. That generates Hydrogen gas. Run a tube to the motor, that takes the Hydrogen to the motor.
Hydrogen entering thru the air pick-up will augment the gasoline to the point where the mpg could double.
Leo Wells
Posted by: LEO WELLS | 29 February 2008 at 11:00 AM
Leo,
After you do that just disconnect power to the fuel pump and run it strictly on hydrogen alone! Let me know how it turns out for you and NO you cannot borrow my Mitsu for this "experiment".
Posted by: Patrick | 29 February 2008 at 12:12 PM
Patrick: do you think Leo should try his scheme on an MiEV? Just think of the mileage he'd get! LMAO.
Posted by: Neil | 29 February 2008 at 01:34 PM
Mitsubishi Motors business plan seems to be ...
Sell the fuel efficient MiEV in their home country Japan, and push the one-ton SUV everywhere else.
I hope they at least offer the MiEV world wide, and wish it was going to be introduced long before 2010. Also, we need to see plans for an infrastructure for PEV's like the MiEV, and so far only Israel plans to make this a reality.
Posted by: John Taylor | 29 February 2008 at 01:55 PM
Leo, stick two electrodes in yourself and plug it in, as you are through on this site!
Posted by: Mark A | 29 February 2008 at 02:21 PM
Miev has main emphasis in Japan only but looks like they will sell it in N. America and Europe as well.
Honestly (until we have appropriate infrastructure) I like the idea of a plug-in HEV...gives me a bit of "piece of mind" for the rare occassion that I do need to drive > 100 miles on a weekend jaunt. Besides, I am only driving 65 miles total for a typical work week (with two days of 28 miles each and 3 days of 3 miles each) so a 40 mile stated (32 mile realistic) range works great for me. Now if Mitsubishi could do that with a Lancer...
Posted by: Patrick | 29 February 2008 at 04:03 PM
Quick Question: When companies say that a their PHEV can go 40 miles on all electric range and then after that function as a regular hybrid electric vehicle, is there a speed requirement to be in the PHEV mode? For example, if I understand it correctly, the CALCARs PHEV can only do 40 miles on all electric if the driver keeps the speed below 35-40mph. Has this range improved?
Does this mean that if I drive 20 miles one way at 65mph, my PHEV will only function as a regular hybrid?
Posted by: | 29 February 2008 at 06:34 PM
Conversion cars were never intended to run on electric only at high speeds, their electric motors are limited in power. PHEVs designed as such, like the Volt, will be capable of top speed in electric only mode.
Posted by: Neil | 29 February 2008 at 07:20 PM
JOHN TAYLOR
WHY ARE YOU BEING CRUDE AND VULGAR?
Posted by: LEO WELLS | 29 February 2008 at 08:07 PM
JOHN TAYLOR
WHY ARE YOU BEING CRUDE AND VULGAR?
LEO WELLS
Posted by: LEO WELLS | 29 February 2008 at 08:07 PM
EV World had an article about a guy in Kansas that converts cars to EV. He converted a VW Thing for a guy and it had a top speed of 100 mph. It used 800 pounds of SLA batteries and had a range of 50 miles.
Posted by: sjc | 01 March 2008 at 09:24 AM
Leo, SHOUTING will not fix your reputation as a crackpot. Quite the opposite.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 01 March 2008 at 08:08 PM
GENTLEMEN, LADIES AND JOHN TAYLOR
FORD SOLD A MODEL"T" IN THE EARLY 1900'S THAT RAN ON HYDROGEN ELECTROLIZED FROM WATER. WITH THE CAPABILITY OF OUR ALTERNATORS NOW FORD,S SYSTEM WOULD WORK OK TODAY.
WHY FIGHT THE PROBLEM. WATER IS THE MOST EFFICIENT REPLACEMENT FOR OIL TO FUEL VEHICKLES AVAILABLE TODAY. AS SMART AS YOU ARE, YOU COULD POSSIBLY FIGURE OUT HOW TO USE HYDROGEN FROM WATER IN TODAY'S VEHICLES, BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF OIL. WHY DON'T YOU TRY???
LEO WELLS
Posted by: LEO WELLS | 03 March 2008 at 07:21 PM
WE NEED YOU AND JOHN TAYLOR ALSO
HELP US GET THE AUTO MANUFACTURERS TO REALIZE THAT WITH THE CURRENT ALTERNATORS AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WE CAN USE HENRY FORD'S INVENTION AND RUN OUR VEHICLES ON WATER, BEFORE WE RUN OUT OF OIL, OR WORSE, CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO BUY FORIGN OIL IMPORTED FROM ABROAD.
LEO WELLS
Posted by: LEO WELLS | 03 March 2008 at 07:54 PM
WE NEED YOU AND JOHN TAYLOR ALSO
HELP US GET THE AUTO MANUFACTURERS TO REALIZE THAT WITH THE CURRENT ALTERNATORS AND ELECTRICAL SYSTEMS WE CAN USE HENRY FORD'S INVENTION AND RUN OUR VEHICLES ON WATER, BEFORE WE'RE OUT OF OIL, OR WORSE, CAN NO LONGER AFFORD TO BUY FORIGN OIL IMPORTED FROM ABROAD.
LEO WELLS
Posted by: LEO WELLS | 03 March 2008 at 07:56 PM
Group,
Mike has spam filtered Leo...yesss! :)
Posted by: sjc | 04 March 2008 at 09:38 AM
Glad to learn that mitsubishi is on the path of success.
Posted by: Syed Sharique Moiz | 01 April 2008 at 11:39 PM
i am looking for the launch of this car in india. This is the only answer for spiraling gasoline prices as well as to reduce the Co2 emissions to save our planet..i will buy this car in india irrespective of the price tag//
Posted by: sbs reddy | 10 July 2008 at 02:22 AM
This company has developed so much, it is now spreading world wide. Mitsubishi plans to introduce the electric car this year in Australia, Hong Kong and Europe, and has also hinted at North American sales soon after. The i-MiEV has a relatively short range of up to 120 km, but offers quick recharging and should be ideal as an urban car for consumers. The urban countries will definitely feel relief when they finally got these cars.
http://www.carsbyownerinusa.com
Posted by: Account Deleted | 20 September 2010 at 04:50 AM