Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot Citroen Co-Operate on EV Powertrains

Once again Electric Vehicles (EV) take the spotlight today, this time Mitsubishi and PSA Peugeot Citroen have struck a deal to start a feasibility study for an extended technical collaboration on electric powertrains.

The aim is to evaluate the development, the manufacture and the use of a small urban electric vehicle. On March 1 we already mentioned that Mitsubishi's Step Up 2010 plan involved the electric i MiEV which is planned for a market introduction in Japan by 2009 and possibly Europe and the US later.

The two companies agreed that the cooperation will be mutually beneficial, which may just mean that Peugeot will see its own version of the i for Europe.

PSA is no stranger to EV's with already over 10,000 units sold, only last March did Venturi fit a Citroen Berlingo with an electric engine for the French postal service La Poste. The Lithium-Ion batteries will provided by Lithium Energy Japan, another joint venture of Mitsubishi, and are on schedule for mass production.