Tokyo green news: Mitsubishi PX-MiEV

Mitsubishi is already well versed in making electric cars and putting them into production - the iMiEV city car is available now and isn't too shabby a run-around - but the PX-MiEV is a genuinely tantalising prospect...

What's all the fuss about?

Imagine combining the charms of the crossover phenomenon that is the Nissan Qashqai with the self-righteousness phenomenon that is the Toyota Prius: here you have it. The PX-MiEV is powered by a clever plug-in hybrid system that blesses it with fuel economy of over 140mpg!

A particularly fascinating innovation is the driver alertness system that sends a stink into the cabin if it detects you're entering slumberland. Lovely.

What makes it so green?

That plug-in hybrid system, which brings the dual benefit of being very green and providing four-wheel traction. In a nutshell, two electric motors are linked to a 1.6-litre petrol engine, with one motor on the front axle and the other at the back. At low speeds, the front electric motor drives the car, taking power from a battery pack. When more traction is needed the rear motor can kick in to drive the back wheels. At higher velocities the engine powers the front wheels too - though ordinarily it acts as a generator to charge the battery. And because it can be plugged in, there's less need for the engine/generator - particularly if you regularly do short journeys.

When can I buy one?

You can't, and Mitsubishi is being coy about how close to production the hybrid system is, though we'd guess that both the drivetrain and something resembling the PX-MiEV's shell are penned for a next-generation release - around 2012.

Mark Nichol