Motoring: Mitsubishi builds first electric vehicles for Europe

 Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has started production of its highly anticipated i-MiEV electric vehicle for Europe, along with production of the electric Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero at its Mizushima plant in Japan.

MMC has been producing and selling the Japan-spec i-MiEV since last year, and with the production of the European-spec models, MMC begins full-fledged export. In fiscal year 2010, from April 2010 to March 2011, Mitsubishi plans to sell 5,000 electric vehicles overseas, including the models built for Peugeot. MMC plans to sell the i-MiEV in Europe in 14 countries, including France, the United Kingdom and Germany beginning this December.

“It has been 100 years since mass production of internal combustion engine cars began,” said MMC president Osamu Masuko. “We have taken the first step into the next 100 years of the automobile with the i-MiEV. Today, we take the second step with production for the European market on the way to global rollout of electric vehicles. This is a big step for the automobile industry and at the same time, signifies the beginning of e-mobility for Europe.”