2006 Mitsubishi Lancer on 2040-cars

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Renault, Nissan, Mitsubishi announce 35 new EVs by 2030

Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi are going all-in on EVs. The trio announced plans to release 35 new electric models globally by 2030, ranging from Japan-only kei cars to commercial vehicles, and they sketched out plans to develop next-generation solid-state batteries. The three carmakers will leverage the benefits of economies of scale to keep development and production costs in check. Many of the Alliance's models already ride on a common platform; the Nissan Sentra shares its bones with the third-generation Renault Scenic. Looking ahead, the plan is to build 80% of the cars in the group's global portfolio on common architectures. Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi are massive companies with a wide lineup of models, so there is no one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, the strategy focuses on five basic modular platforms. CMF-AEV will be for so-called affordable electric cars. KEI-EV will be primarily for kei cars, LCV will underpin commercial vehicles, and CMF-EV was designed to underpin mainstream models including the Ariya. Finally, the CMF-BEV platform will underpin about 250,000 electric cars annually starting in 2024. These include the production version of the retro-styled 5 Prototype introduced in January 2021, at least one car assigned to the Alpine brand, and a replacement for the Micra (previewed above) that will be engineered and built by Renault. Most of these cars will be equipped with a lithium-ion battery pack; that's likely going to remain the best way to power an electric car in the coming years. However, Nissan has been tasked with developing solid-state battery technology that promises to greatly reduce charging times. A solid state battery is tentatively scheduled to enter production by the middle of 2028, though it's too early to tell which model(s) will inaugurate it. Digital services will play a significant role in the Alliance's future lineup as well. By 2026, Renault, Nissan and Mitsubishi plan to connect 25 million cars to their cloud and over 10 million vehicles fitted with "autonomous driving systems" (a vague term that wasn't defined). All told, these investments will cost the group at least ˆ23 billion (around $26 billion at the current conversion rate) in the next five years. What does this mean for America?

Mitsubishi showing off 473-hp Lancer Evo X Concept Final at Tokyo Auto Salon

We know from the head of Mitsubishi USA that the special edition Lancer Evo X coming next June will be a five-speed GSR model with more horsepower, a tweaked suspension and some additional fancy "bits and pieces." We didn't expect to be this, the Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X Final Concept with an ECU tune and new HKS turbo making its 2.0-liter engine good for 473 horsepower. That's 183 more ponies than the stock model. Based on a five-speed GSR, on top of that power boost it gets larger intakes and intercoolers, an upgraded cooling system and exhaust, an adjustable suspension from HKS and 19-inch Rays forged wheels. The finish is a mix of matte and gloss black, and chrome trim. Actually, we still don't expect the special edition we'll get to mimic the Evo X Final Concept; rather, we think this black beauty is a full-fat showcase for the Tokyo Auto Salon, where the Evo X Final Concept will be shown. It's a tantalizing could-have-been, and now that we've seen what Mitsu can do with the Lancer Evo when it cares just a little, we hope our that end-of-series special isn't too disappointing by comparison.

Mitsubishi Mi-Tech turbine-PHEV buggy blows the doors off our dreams

TOKYO — For this year's Tokyo Motor Show, Mitsubishi went all out with the Mi-Tech concept. It's a tough-looking open off-roader with a wild hybrid powertrain. It's glorious, which makes it all the more sad it will likely never see the light of day. From the outside, the Mi-Tech impresses with blocky lines and fat fender flares. But its star feature is the fact that it has no roof and no doors. The only thing that comes close is the pair of cowls behind the seats. The inside has a spare design with a body-color dash and cutouts for vents. It does have modern cues such as the piano-key buttons and fullscreen heads-up display. Under the skin, it's powered by four motors, each controlling an individual wheel. This allows it to adjust power precisely in off-road settings. It's a plug-in hybrid, and when the battery runs down, electricity is produced by a turbine engine, similar to the Jaguar C-X75 concept. Mitsubishi opted for the turbine for its high power, small size, smooth operation and the fact it can run on just about any combustible liquid. As much as we love the Mi-Tech, it's obvious it's not going into production anytime soon. Mitsubishi has no car-ready turbine engines, and it would be expensive to make an SUV with no doors, or even removable doors, pass safety standards. And the people that would buy a vehicle like this will probably be satisfied with a Jeep Wrangler or the upcoming Ford Bronco. Oh well, it's at least a pleasant dream, and a sign that Mitsubishi still has some spark.