Mitsubishi is busy in
Geneva next month. The new folding hardtop
Mitsubishi Colt CZC gets its first airing, Europe is graced with the presence of the
Concept-X and the new Mitsubishi EZ-MIEV concept car makes its world debut.
The MIEV (Mitsubishi In-wheel Electric Vehicle) technology has been shown before, but Mitsubishi has gone the whole hog on this concept car. As the name suggests, the electric motors are housed within the wheel hubs themselves, freeing up valuable space elsewhere in the car. In the case of the EZ concept, each motor produces 27bhp, so thanks to a motor in each wheel, the concept has 108bhp to play with, not to mention maximum torque from standstill.
Though the Concept-EZ should be quite lively, the concept's most impressive party trick is its use of space. Thanks to the lack of a bulky powertrain, and the adoption of drive-by-wire technology for steering, braking and accelerating, the interior is simply cavernous. True, the car's styling helps maximise the volume for the wheelbase, though it is still quite cool in a futuristic Japanese kind of way. It was actually conceived by Mitsubishi Design Europe.
Shane O' Donoghue - 10 Feb 2006