1999 White 2-door Mitsubishi Eclipse Gsx on 2040-cars

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Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi adopts Android infotainment in coup for Google

PARIS — The Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi carmaking alliance said on Tuesday it will adopt Alphabet's Google Android operating system, handing a victory to the U.S. tech giant as it pushes for a bigger share of the infotainment market. Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi, with combined sales of 10.6 million vehicles last year, said future models will "integrate Google applications and services" including Maps and the voice-commanded Google Assistant. The move, first reported by the Wall Street Journal, leans more heavily on Big Tech than large or luxury rival carmakers have hitherto been willing to do. Many fear losing control of customer relationships, data and potentially significant future revenue from connected services. Some smaller manufacturers such as Volvo Cars have decided to embed Android Auto in their vehicles. But the scale of the shift by Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi may cause a broader rethink of costly standalone tech strategies. "Major carmakers earlier were reluctant to do business with Google, but this has now changed," said Jauke de Jong, a research analyst at AFS Group in Amsterdam. "More carmakers could follow suit and partner with Google." Until now, carmakers have largely chosen Linux, Microsoft or QNX software to power infotainment. That yields clunkier platforms they can control, but which offer little scope to add new apps or functionality. Far more than just hooking up a phone The news may spell trouble for certain existing auto-tech suppliers such as mapping specialist TomTom, which counts Renault among its customers. Shares in the Dutch group fell by more than quarter after the announcement. In return for handing Google the infotainment keys, the alliance will bring the full clout of Android's thousands of apps to its brands' lineups — which include a strong contingent of affordably priced, no-frills models for emerging markets. The partnership promises "rich user experiences that are currently available only outside the vehicle or, to a limited extent, by connecting an Android device to supported vehicles," alliance development chief Hadi Zablit said. While many volume carmakers offer infotainment "mirroring" to pair with Apple iPhones or Android smartphones, premium rivals such as BMW and Daimler's Mercedes-Benz are investing heavily in their own operating systems, vocal assistants and connected services.

Mitsubishi Mirage will launch in US with three-cylinder engine [w/video]

We have a date with Mitsubishi Mirage (again). The Japanese subcompact is slated to arrive on our shores in September 2013, and it's one of the product offerings meant to help Mitsubishi's US arm raise sales in its next financial year from 55,000 to 80,000. If next year were 1989, we'd say there's no reason that couldn't happen, but from what we've seen, the Mirage is so magnificently meek (have you seen the interior?) that we aren't sure how it will manage that kind of US sales aggression in the 21st century.
Continuing that theme, Car and Driver reports that the Mitsu will launch here with a 1.2-liter, three-cylinder engine. Make no mistake, this is a very popular engine in the Mirage and responsible for its excellent fuel economy. The hatch is doing so well in other markets with its two naturally aspirated tri-cylinders that the Thailand facility that builds the Mirage will have its capacity increased by 33 percent to try and meet demand. In European spec, the 845-kilogram (1,859 pounds) subcompact with the more powerful engine offering 79 horsepower and 78 pound-feet of torque gets 57.3 miles per US gallon and takes 11.7 seconds to get from zero to 62 miles per hour. The question is whether Mitsubishi will boost the output of that engine for our market. If not, only the 70-hp Smart ForTwo will have less horsepower - but the Mirage, interestingly enough, weighs about the same as the microcar.
On its UK site, Mitsubishi said the reveal of the Mirage in back 2011 meant "redefining the standards by which to judge a compact passenger car." We can't wait to find out if that's still true and what that means when it gets here. To prepare yourself, there's video of the Mirage in action below.

Recharge Wrap-up: Phoenix Cars delivers ZEUS to Navy, Volt saves gas compared to i-MiEV

Phoenix Cars has delivered its first Zero Emissions Utility Shuttle (ZEUS) flatbed truck to the US Navy. The electric flatbed will be used to transport maintenance materials around Naval Base Ventura County Port Hueneme. The Phoenix ZEUS features a 100-mile range, and can charge in just three hours. It also features vehicle-to-grid technology and direct power capability, allowing it to function as a mobile power station. ZEUS customers enjoy an eight-year/300,000-mile battery warranty and round-the-clock technical support from Phoenix. Phoenix launched an electric passenger shuttle last year, and years ago worked on an electric sport utility truck before shifting over to larger vehicles. Read more in the press release from Phoenix Cars. A man found that he used less gas by trading in his Mitsubishi i-MiEV for a Chevrolet Volt. Ben Rich saved fuel in part by using his Volt for road trips rather than needing to rent cars. Rich also found other benefits to driving a Volt, including more comfort, more freedom of movement and less range anxiety. Rich often had to turn off the heat in the winter to eke out precious miles in the Mitsubishi, which he needn't do in the Chevy, though he did have a gripe about the Volt using the gas motor to warm the car. Read more at Green Car Reports. EV drivers using the ChargePoint network have traveled over 196 million miles without gasoline. ChargePoint has tallied over 9 million charging sessions for a total of 65 gigawatt hours of energy. Based on national efficiency averages of three miles per kWh and 23.9 miles per gallon, this has saved 8.2 million gallons of gasoline and 60 million pounds of CO2. This accounts for what ChargePoint calls a "huge environmental impact." Read more in the release from ChargePoint below. The Environmental Impact of ChargePoint Drivers Campbell, Calif.– We all know electric vehicles (EV) have enormous environmental advantages over gas vehicles. Plug-in EVs reduce carbon-based greenhouse gases, improve air quality and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. EV drivers on the ChargePoint network have had a huge environmental impact. With over 9 million charging sessions delivering 65 gigawatt hours of energy, EV drivers have avoided over 60 million pounds of CO2 and 8.2 million gallons of gasoline, and driven over 196 million gas-free miles. *Based on national averages: EV efficiency of 3 miles per kWh, gas efficiency of 23.9 mpg and a net savings of 0.924 pounds of CO2 per kWh.