Tokyo, Jan 15, 2010 - (ACN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announced an unprecedented collaboration by its Canadian unit Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada Inc. (MMSCAN) and Hydro-Quebec that will put up to 50 zero-emission all-electric i-MiEV passenger cars on the streets of the City of Boucherville, an independent municipality and a suburb of Montreal, in the largest Canadian project ever fielded to integrate, test, and evaluate all-electric vehicles on urban streets under real-world conditions.
Announced also at the Montreal International Auto Show, the pilot program will expose fleet drivers from Boucherville, Hydro Quebec, and other approved companies to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV all electric minicar, in both fall and winter urban conditions.
"We are very proud to be leading the way to a greener and more sustainable future by developing environment-friendly vehicles, fueled by clean, renewable energy," said Koji Soga, president and CEO of MMSCAN. "Mitsubishi Motors is a leader in electric car development and the i-MiEV represents the pinnacle of our green technologies. In the same sense, Hydro-Quebec and the City of Boucherville are demonstrating their environmental leadership by participating in this unique initiative."
Hydro-Quebec President and CEO Thierry Vandal said that the project is a vital element in the company's commitment to environmental stewardship. "Hydro-Quebec is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by playing a key role in the electrification of transportation. This trial is designed to study the vehicles' charging behaviour, driving experience as well as overall driver satisfaction. It will also allow Hydro-Quebec to evaluate the challenges involved in integrating electric vehicles into its grid."
"Thisis a truly exciting project for the City of Boucherville," said Boucherville Mayor Jean Martel. "We look forward to participating alongside our leading local businesses to help Hydro-Quebec and Mitsubishi gather meaningful data."
About Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is the fifth largest automaker in Japan and the fifteenth largest in the world by global unit sales. It is part of the Mitsubishi keiretsu, formerly the biggest industrial group in Japan, and was formed in 1970 from the automotive division of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries.
Throughout its history it has courted alliances with foreign partners, a strategy pioneered by their first president Tomio Kubo to encourage expansion, and continued by his successors. A significant stake was sold to Chrysler Corporation in 1971 which it held for 22 years, while DaimlerChrysler was a controlling shareholder between 2000 and 2005. Long term joint manufacturing and technology licencing deals with the Hyundai Motor Company in South Korea and Proton in Malaysia were also forged, while in Europe the company co-owned the largest automobile manufacturing plant in the Netherlands with Volvo for ten years in the 1990s, before taking sole ownership in 2001.
Source: Mitsubishi Motors
Contact: Mitsubishi Motors Public Relations Department http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com +81-3-6852-4275
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