Mitsubishi Tests Pure Electric Car With Southern California Edison
Source – MMA www.car-data.com
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announced today that it has signed a letter of intent withSouthern California Edison (SCE) to forge a unique collaboration for testing and evaluation of thenew i MiEV electric vehicle.
According to Tohru Hashimoto, Corporate General Manager of the i MiEV Business Promotion Officeof Mitsubishi Motors Corporation, “The small, four-passenger Mitsubishi i MiEVs will enter intoSCE’s nationally-recognized prototype testing and evaluation program. This collaboration with oneof the nation’s leading utility supporters of electric vehicles will provide us technical feedbackon i MiEV vehicle and battery performance, as well as vehicle connection and integration into theelectrical system.”
Extensive testing with the i MiEV has been occurring over the past two years with seven majorutility companies in Japan. The success of these programs quickened the pace and promptedMitsubishi Motors to begin selling the electric vehicle in the Japan market in summer of 2009.
The rise in interest for electric vehicles and other alternative-fuel propulsion systems isdramatically shaping the way automakers and utility companies are approaching the opportunity.Through this program, SCE hopes to help Mitsubishi Motors gauge how electric vehicles will mosteffectively connect to the smart grid of the future and the next generation Edison SmartConnectTadvanced meters. In addition, the collaboration may explore future requirements for vehiclecommunication and connection, helping enable new customer values associated with home energymanagement and control.
“Southern California Edison has more than 20 years and 16 million EV miles of experienceoperating the nation’s largest private fleet of electric vehicles,” said Edward Kjaer, SCE’sdirector of electric transportation.
“This new EV collaboration with Mitsubishi complements SCE’s existing work on plug-in hybridsand next-generation advanced batteries and their effective connection and control by Edison’snext-generation meters”
The i MiEV electric vehicle, which is based on Mitsubishi’s “i”
gasoline-powered mini car on sale in Japan, adapts a zero-emissions state-of-the-art electricdrivetrain. A durable 330-volt lithium-ion battery system is located under the floor deck andpowers a permanent magnet electric motor. With this packaging, the i MiEV is able to offer the samelevel of interior utility and space as the gasoline version while lowering the center of gravityfor more stable handling. The 47 kW electric motor offers improved performance and quickeracceleration over the 64-hp gasoline version.
The advanced lithium-ion battery is developed by the Mitsubishi Motors Corporation / MitsubishiCorporation / GS Yuasa joint venture company, Lithium Energy Japan. LEJ represents the leading edgein battery technology and promises up to 100 miles* of zero-emissions, economical driving on asingle charge when packaged in the i MiEV.
*Japan 10-15 Mode Cycle
