Zero Emissions: Making it Possible

Electric Vehicles

One of Mitsubishi's successes with alternative fuel vehicles is in making electric cars. We have produced more than 150 over the years, and about 50 are still in operation.
Our latest model, the Libero EV, is a significant step. The Libero, developed jointly by Mitsubishi and Tokyo Electric Power Company, has a top speed of 130 km/h, can travel up to 250 km on a single charge of its NiCd batteries, and is currently on the road in Japan.

ESR: Advanced Environmental Research Hits the Road

ESR is a hybrid electric vehicle designed to save energy and limit emissions to the bare minimum without sacrificing performance.

Hybrid Electric System

The ESR's hybrid electric design gives it the potential for zero-emission driving, while its top speed and driving range compare favorably to many conventional petrol-powered vehicles.
The ESR runs in on of two modes: zero-emissions, the ESR can run totally on electric power stored in the batteries.
To extend the ESR's driving range, Series Hybrid mode uses a highly-efficient, low-emission petrol engine to power an electric generator, which in turn charges the batteries. Even in Series Hybrid mode, the ESR is always driven by an emission-free electric motor.

Converting Energy from Braking and Sunlight

The energy-conscious ESR reuses its kinetic energy - energy generated by the vehicle's own motion. When the brake pedal is pressed, the motor converts to electricity generation mode, enabling it to use kinetic energy to recharge the batteries.
Solar cells built into the roof of the ESR convert sunlight into electricity, which both assists in charging the batteries and ventilates the battery case to prevent the battery temperature from rising.

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