The only way that Japan can stay ahead of the pack in the green car race is to place the focus on electric cars.
That’s the verdict of Osamu Masuko, the president of Mitsubishi Motors which is preparing to launch the i-MiEV electric vehicle. He believes that Japanese car manufacturers need to continue advancing their technology in order to maintain their global competitive edge, particularly with rivals emerging close to home such as in China and South Korea.
He believes the competition is likely to become “severely intense” and that success in the electric vehicle market would allow Japan to stay ahead despite the recent demise of conventional rivals such as General Motors and Chrysler.
The i-MiEV will be rolled out in July for corporate clients before making its way to the wider public beginning next April. It can travel 160kms on a single charge and has a top speed of 130km/h. In Japan it will have a price tag of 4.59million yen.
The product will be released in Britain later this year.
