03 Mar 09 14:07
The Sport Air is a low-riding, sporty version of Mitsubishi's electric i-MiEV city car.
It's a development from the i-MiEV Sport concept seen at the 2007 Tokyo Motor Show, designed in a collaboration between Mitsubishi's studios in Japan and California, but 20cm longer and 12cm taller than the original, with a more aerodynamic teardrop shape, deeper windscreen sharper front end.
It also gets a single 60kW motor mounted beneath its luggage compartment and driving the rear wheels, in place of two smaller units within each front wheel.
It's more of a sports car than a friendly modern-day bubble-car, and Mitsubishi points out that the low-mounted lithium-ion battery pack actually aids handling, giving this 940kg car a low centre of gravity. A bonnet-mounted solar panel aids its energy-efficiency, and a removable clear roof panel enhances owner enjoyment; the Sport Air is intended to be both eco-friendly and fun.
Despite the overall dimensions, its rear/mid-mounted motor and dramatically-shaped cabin, the Sport Air can (just about) seat four, with a wraparound cockpit for the driver and touch-screen controls to cut clutter. It's finished in sky-blue pearlescent paint with a grey-blue-beige interior and blue interior lighting, with sustainable-source materials for its carpets, seat back panels and side covers.
Mitsubishi describes the Sport Air as a 'pocket rocket', promising improvement way ahead of that of the i MiEV: its motor delivers 60kW (up from the i MiEV's 40) and 170lb-ft of torque, good for 200kph and a range between recharges of up to 200km.
The Sport Air is 'pointing to the direction a realistic Mitsubishi sports EV may take in the future', says the company, and it is certainly tangible: much of its technology is shared with the i MiEV already on sale in Japan and currently under evaluation for sale in Europe. Mitsubishi is showing its first left-hand drive i MiEV prototype in Geneva to gauge reaction from the Continentals.
Though Mitsubishi is struggling against the global recession - it has reported an 18% fall in European sales for last year - it is hoping to hold firm as it shifts away from its dependence on its SUVs and pick-up trucks and launches a wider range of smaller and more fuel-efficient models. Economies of scale and reduction in production and development costs will be achieved by its partnerships with other companies - including PSA Peugeot-Citroen, which is expected to announce shortly that it is to sell Peugeot- and Citroen-branded versions of the i MiEV. Updates to the Shogun (Pajero/Montero) and L200 pick-up will be detailed at a later date, and a production version of the Concept cX mini-SUV has been confirmed.
Check out the rest of our Geneva Motor Show coverage.
