A joint project between two companies to transform the concept of kei-cars with Evs

Although Mitsubishi Motors was the first in the world to start mass production of EV, with the fun and safe i-MiEV, it struggled with sales and widespread adoption. At that time, the charging infrastructure was less developed than it is today, and many customers were concerned about range. It was also more expensive than a kei-car of the same size. While people who like new things and those concerned about environmental issues took an interest, there were not many people at the time who would consider EVs as an option.

"We kept pushing messages saying things like 'kei-cars aren't often used for long journeys, so they can be used even if the range is short,' but they didn't really resonate," reflects Makoto Kishi, who was in charge of EV development at the time. "We needed to mobilize society as a whole to make them popular, but we didn't have the power to do that."

The i-MiEV also faced some problems unique to cars. One of those was the lithium-ion battery. Although the battery was sufficiently safe for vehicle use, it was still expensive and there was room for improvement in terms of performance.

"We listened to feedback from most of the customers who purchased an i-MiEV, and the thing that many of them were particularly dissatisfied with was the heating. Some said, 'If I use the heating, the range is almost halved, so I have to put up with it even if I'm cold.'"

On the other hand, many people were impressed by the distinctive acceleration and quietness of an EV, and said, "I can't go back to gasoline-powered cars now." Kishi and his team were determined to develop more advanced EVs to meet customers' expectations, and as pioneers of EVs, they wanted to convey their appeal more widely. To this end, they repeatedly submitted plans for the next model of the i-MiEV, but were long unable to get the green light.

No matter how many obstacles stood in their way, Mitsubishi Motors' engineers were convinced of the potential of EV technology. If EV technology is brought to maturity, it will be possible to create a car that anyone can drive adeptly, comfortably, and with peace of mind. As such, it will provide the enjoyment and convenience of driving sustainably, without any impact on the environment. We were convinced that by utilizing EV technology, we would be able to realize the ideal vehicle that would achieve Mitsubishi Motors' goals of "Eco-friendly × Safety,Security and Comfort".

On the technical side, the challenge was the lithium-ion battery for vehicle use. When the i-MiEV was launched, it was expected that it would take more than 10 years before a battery with enough performance to develop an electric SUV with heavy weight would be available. Therefore, to bring EVs into the future, Mitsubishi Motors' development team focused on the development of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Because PHEVs are equipped with an engine and generator to produce electricity, they can overcome the problem of short range, which had been EVs' main shortcoming. However, if the battery installed in a PHEV is too small, the car will be driven mainly by the engine, and its ride comfort will be no different from that of an engine-powered car.

The Outlander PHEV, launched in 2012, is equipped with an improved version of the large lithium-ion battery from the i-MiEV. This marked the birth of a revolutionary PHEV offering the quiet, smooth, and powerful driving experience expected from an EV. In addition, by using Mitsubishi Motors' acclaimed four-wheel technology to control the i-MiEV motors mounted in the front and rear, we created an SUV that could be driven exactly to the driver's liking. Since then, improvements have been made to the electric powertrain, including the lithium-ion battery and motors, and the new Outlander PHEV model launched in 2021 can travel more than 80km in WLTC1 mode on the battery alone. By developing PHEV technology, Mitsubishi Motors kept the flame of EV technology burning and shined a light on its future.

What has provided a tailwind for the next generation of EVs is the change in society of environmental issues. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), adopted in 2015, are gradually gaining recognition in Japan, and interest in environmental issues is growing accordingly. As more consumers consider the environmental impact of a product and a company's stance when making a purchase, an increasing number of people are now looking into EVs.

In addition, a partnership with Nissan in kei-cars has also encouraged the development of new EVs. In 2011, Mitsubishi Motors and Nissan began collaborating on kei-cars, and in 2013, the two companies launched the jointly developed third-generation eK Wagon and the first-generation Nissan DAYZ.

Kei-cars, a specification unique to Japan, are an integral part of Japan's road environment, and are said to account for approximately 40% of the Japanese automobile market. If the percentage of people choosing EVs in that kei-car market increases, it will have a significant impact on the automobile market as a whole. In 2016, Mitsubishi Motors and Nissan, one of the earliest automakers to develop and produce EVs, decided to launch a project to develop a new kei-car EV that would take full advantage of both companies' strengths.

“When it was officially decided to make the eK series of kei-cars electric, I thought, 'The time for EVs has come again,” says Kishi. The i-MiEV outperformed the gasoline-powered i, on which it was based, in acceleration, steering stability, and quietness. Since then, through the development of PHEVs, we have continued to evolve our EV control technology. The performance of lithium-ion batteries has also improved. As such, we finally have an opportunity to further improve on the strengths of the i-MiEV.”

The efforts of these engineers, who never gave up on EV development no matter how difficult the situation, came to fruition in 2022 with the launch of the eK X EV.