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‘DRIVING
pleasure, safety, environmental responsibility,” these
are the three elements Mitsubishi Motors Corp. embodied
in its comeback attempt at the automobile market when it
presented its slogan “Pursuing the Origins of Car
Engineering” on the Press Day of the 40th Tokyo Motor
Show on October 24 at the Makuhari Messe in Chiba,
Japan.
Riding
on the rising wave of non-fossil fuel dependent
automobiles, Mitsubishi announced its move to realign
its efforts to develop more electric or fuel-cell cars
and get them to the production level. Osama Masuko,
president of Mitsubishi Motors Corp., said the
“motorized society is now shifting from ‘volume’ to
‘quality’ and Mitsubishi continues to evolve as we
attempt to better fulfill our environmental
responsibilities.”
Last
year, Mitsubishi revealed the next generation of
electric vehicles, the i MiEV, an advanced research
prototype and their basic model to create cars that have
drastically reduced CO2 emissions, a key element in the
global warming problem. Although not the first auto
company to do so—Toyota and Mitsubishi already having
production versions of hybrid engines—Mitsubishi aims to
be the first to get to the streets a true, nongasoline-powered
car. To this end, they have been in close research with
Tokyo Electric Power to create the technology.
Masuko
also announced that the development of the i MiEV is on
schedule and can possibly be fast-tracked so they can
launch it earlier than their initial target date.
“Since October of last year, we have made improvements
to the battery and motor, and we plan to begin road
testing very soon. Our original target was to launch the
vehicle in 2010, but it looks like we will be able to
accelerate that,” Masuko said.
An i
MiEV Sport model captured center stage, where it showed
its mettle, employing a unique integrated vehicle
dynamics control system centered on a 4WD with in-wheel
motors on both front wheels and a single motor for the
rear wheels to get as much speed and power an electric
motor can give. Another i MiEV model was also displayed
at the motor show where it was located at a prime
second-floor position where visitors can look up and
view the battery and motor of the car located
underneath. All over the Mitsubishi booth, the company’s
goal of “ecocars” that have zero CO2 emission and its
enthusiasm for electric cars can be found.
For an
auto company that was almost on the brink of closing
down, saddled with management scandals and financial
mismanagement about four years ago, Mitsubishi did a
dramatic turnaround in the last two years, capping its
performance by getting on the revenue stage as it closed
it books this September 2007.
Mitsubishi Philippines assistant vice president for
marketing services Froilan Dytianquin said most of these
concept cars will be available worldwide by the year
2010, when they are production models and not concept
cars anymore. “Mitsubishi Philippines is very excited
about these new technologies and we hope it gets to the
country soon as it will be one of the most exciting
times in the automobile industry,” Dytianquin said.
The
concept models presented during the motor show were the
Concept-ZT model that packs a 2.2-L clean diesel engine
and a “Twin Clutch SST (Sport Shift Transmission)”
mechanical automatic transmission. It also comes with a
precrash safety system and a pop-up hood for protection
during collisions.
Of
course at the center stage is the i MiEV Sport, a new
form of electric vehicle that embodies speed and
sportiness. Then there is “Concept-cX,” which is loaded
with a 1.8-liter clean diesel engine, and the Twin
Clutch SST—Mitsubishi’s new thrust into the developing
SUV variants.
But of
course, what would Mitsubishi be without its cult
cars—models that cost the company real time and effort
to develop and reintroduce. Arlan Reyes, assistant
marketing and advertising manager, said they are coming
out with three new models in the Philippines next year:
the all-new Mitsubishi Lancer, the much-awaited
Evolution X and the Filipino favorite, Pajero. “The
three new models should be very satisfying to the
supporters of Mitsubishi since these are the three main
favorites of the Philippine market.” The Pajero has been
marked as the SUV of the upcoming Filipino, the Lancer
as the Yuppies’ favorite and the Evolution series (more
known as Evos) being the cult car of the Filipino “Fast
and the Furious” clique.
But the
real goal of Mitsubishi worldwide is to counter world
dependence on fossil fuel or oil, specifically, the
power of the oil cartels to dictate prices around the
world. This has been one reason why the automotive
industry has been growing at an almost snail’s pace. By
developing cars that are independent of oil consumption
then the renaissance of auto design can emerge.
“Mitsubishi chose electric vehicles as the cars of the
future because while they are on the road they do not
emit any of the CO2 that contributes to global warming.
We will keep moving forward towards the dream of
environment-friendly driving pleasure and zero on-road
CO2 emissions,” says Masuko.
And that
is probably one of the best excuses to begin our way to
rid ourselves of fossil fuel and release ourselves from
the bondage of the global oil cartel. |
