TOKYO, Nov 9, 2022 - (JCN Newswire) - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors) today announced that the all-new eK X EV (pronounced "eK 'cross' EV"), an all-electric kei-car(1), has won the Car of the Year 2022-2023 award(2) from the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame.
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The selection committee highly evaluated the eK X EV as a full-fledged electric vehicle (EV) that conforms to Japanese kei-car standards and contributes to the expansion of the domestic EV market. The eK X EV was also recognized for its high-quality interior and powerful EV road performance above its class, as well as an excellent driving safety assist system for a kei-car.
Previously, Mitsubishi Motors has been awarded Car Design of the Year 2006-2007 for the "i" kei-car and Car Technology of the Year 2009-2010 for the i-MiEV, an all-electric kei-car, by the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame, but this is the first time the company has won the Car of the Year award.
The eK X EV is a new EV model in the eK X series(3), Mitsubishi Motors' kei-car series with an SUV flavor, offered at an affordable price yet with a driving range of 180 kilometers (km, in WLTC mode)(4),(5) on a single charge that is sufficient for everyday use. It has been well received for its spacious and pleasant cabin, user-friendliness, the smooth and powerful driving experience of EVs, a quiet and comfortable ride, advanced driver assistance systems, and connectivity.
At a time when a shift to electrified vehicles is required to achieve a carbon-neutral society, Mitsubishi Motors will continue to provide vehicles that embody Mitsubishi Motors-ness - offering combination of safety, security and comfort, as well as environmental-friendliness - and thereby contribute to a sustainable society.
Special website for eK X EV (in Japanese only):
www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/lineup/ek_x_ev/special/
Product website for eK X EV (in Japanese only):
www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/lineup/ek_x_ev/index.html
(1) Kei-car is a vehicle category in Japan for microcars.
(2) Also awarded to the Nissan Sakura
(3) Lineup includes eK X, a height-wagon kei-car, and eK X space, a super height-wagon kei-car.
(4) In Japan, approximately 80 percent of users of kei-cars and compact cars drive 50 km or less per day (Mitsubishi Motors' survey). Accordingly, it is estimated that most users can drive for two days without recharging.
(5) WLTC, or Worldwide harmonized Light duty Test Cycle, is an internationally recognized test cycle that is composed of urban, suburban, and highway driving modes with average usage ratios.
About the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame Car of the Year 2022-2023
Candidates for the 22nd Japan Automotive Hall of Fame Car of the Year were new models premiered in the Japan market between October 16, 2021, and October 15, 2022. The selection committee voted for the winner of the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame Car of the Year 2022-2023.
About Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (TSE:7211) --a member of the Alliance with Renault and Nissan--, is a global automobile company based in Tokyo, Japan, which has about 30,000 employees and a global footprint with production facilities in Japan, Thailand, Indonesia, mainland China, the Philippines, Viet Nam and Russia. Mitsubishi Motors has a competitive edge in SUVs, pickup trucks and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and appeals to ambitious drivers willing to challenge convention and embrace innovation. Since the production of our first vehicle more than a century ago, Mitsubishi Motors has been a leader in electrification---launched the i-MiEV --the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle in 2009, followed by the Outlander PHEV --the world's first plug-in hybrid electric SUV in 2013. The company announced a three-year business plan in July 2020 to introduce more competitive and cutting-edge models, including the Eclipse Cross (PHEV model), the all-new Outlander and the all-new Triton/L200.
For more information on Mitsubishi Motors, please visit the company's website at
www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/
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