2005 Mitsubishi Endeavor Limited Sport Utility 4-door 3.8l on 2040-cars

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Why a Renault-FCA merger could be good news for Nissan, Mitsubishi

TOKYO — Nissan's advanced technologies including platforms and electric powertrains could give it leverage in a merger involving Renault and Fiat Chrysler, thanks to a royalty system it has with the former, two people with knowledge of the matter said. A merged Renault-Fiat Chrysler could face an extra hurdle each time it uses technology developed by Nissan or Mitsubishi Motors, while the two Japanese automakers stand to gain a client in Fiat Chrysler (FCA), one of the people said. Both sources declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the matter. Nissan's technology, particularly in electrification and emissions reduction, could give it some sway in the $35 billion potential tie-up between Renault and FCA, even as its stake in the newly formed company would be diluted. Currently Renault SA pays less for technology developed by Nissan than the Japanese automaker pays for French technology, a third person said. This has long been a sticking point for Nissan, and an area where Nissan could seek more favorable terms. "Whenever Nissan transfers platform, powertrain or other technology to Renault, there is a margin or royalty which Renault has to pay for use of that tech," one of the people said. "In that sense, FCA, if everything went well, would become another 'client' of ours and that's good. More business for us." A Nissan spokesman declined to comment on its royalty system. The potential Renault-FCA deal has complicated the Japanese automaker's already uneasy alliance with Renault. A further deal with Fiat Chrysler looks likely at least in the near term to weaken Nissan's influence in the 20-year-old partnership. Renault owns a 43.4% stake in Nissan and is its top shareholder. Nissan holds a 15% non-voting stake in Renault and would see that diluted to 7.5% after the FCA deal, albeit with voting rights. The imbalance between the two has long rankled Nissan, which is by far the larger company. Alliance imbalance Renault had previously angled for a merger with Nissan but has been rebuffed by CEO Hiroto Saikawa. Securing benefits from the merger deal will be important for Saikawa, who is grappling with poor financial performance while he struggles to right the company after the ouster of former chairman Carlos Ghosn last year.

Mitsubishi to sell only EVs, hybrids by mid-2030s

TOKYO — Mitsubishi Motors Corp plans for hybrid and battery electric vehicles to account for all new car sales by the middle of the next decade, beefing up its electrification strategy for staying competitive in key markets. Mitsubishi, which is also a junior partner in an alliance with France's Renault SA and Nissan Motor Co, said it will roll out 16 new models over the next five years. The Japanese automaker, known for its Outlander sport utility vehicle, stuck to a previous goal of having half of its new car sales electrified by fiscal 2030 and on Friday newly pledged to raise that further to 100% by fiscal 2035. Mitsubishi considers plug-in hybrids (PHEV), hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles (BEV) as electrified vehicles. Electrified vehicles accounted for about 7% of the company's total new car sales in fiscal 2021. "Among our existing models, we'll expand the geographical areas where our flagship PHEV Outlander is being offered and build out the sales of the Minicab-MiEV light commercial EV that was relaunched last year," Chief Executive Takao Kato said. Among the 16 new models Mitsubishi plans to roll out, one will be a BEV Renault alliance model, while another will be a Nissan alliance model, Mitsubishi said in presentation materials that were part of its fiscal 2023-2025 business plan. Mitsubishi, an early mover in EVs in the early 2010s, currently has no BEVs in its line-up in Europe. Its new BEV for Europe would mark a comeback in a highly competitive market where new entrants such as Tesla have already rapidly won market share. The model could be a variant of the Renault electric MPV Scenic made in France and expected in 2024, or a variant of the Renault electric city cars R5 or R4 expected respectively in 2024 and 2025 and also made in France, a source close to the matter said. Mitsubishi Europe declined to comment on the matter. Of the other 14 models Mitsubishi plans to launch, seven will be purely combustion engine-powered ones, five will be hybrids and the remaining two will be BEV, the company said. (Reporting by Daniel Leussink and Gilles Guillaume; Additional reporting by Elaine Lies; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim, Shounak Dasgupta and Christina Fincher) Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green Mitsubishi Electric Hybrid

With just 75 i-MiEVs sold this year, Mitsubishi introduces 2014 model

Late last year, Mitsubishi said the Mitsubishi i-MiEV would get a solid price drop down to $22,995 (before destination and fees). Along with the lower digits, the car is getting a bit of a content bump to make the cheapest EV in the US an even better deal. After skipping the 2013 model year, new 2014 model year vehicles are now rolling out to Mitsubishi dealers in the US. We'll see if the new model helps increase sales. In 2013, Mitsubishi sold 1,029 copies of the i which was almost twice as much as it did in 2012 (588). So far in 2014, just 75 i-MiEVs have been sold, 35 of which were in May. So far in 2014, just 75 i-MiEVs have been sold, 35 in May. There is only one trim line for the new i-MiEV and it now comes with heaps more standard equipment than it used to. Things like a CHAdeMO DC quick charge port, heated front seats and a leather steering wheel came with the announcement of a $6,130 price drop last December. Read more about the new standard equipment here. New optional equipment includes a LED Illumination Package and a USB iPod adapter kit. Some things remain the same, like the 16-kWh lithium-ion battery that offers an official range of 62 miles. Mitsubishi takes pains to also include the EPA LA4 cycle range of 98 miles, just to show that 62 miles is not all you're going to get from the electric jellybean. Who wants one?