Mitsubishi Confirms To Wear Peugeot Badge in Europe

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. today confirmed that it will provide electric car technology to French automaker PSA Peugeot Citroen starting in late 2010 or early 2011. The two companies will produce a vehicle based upon Mitsubishi's iMiEV vehicle that will be marketed under the Peugeot brand.

Mitsubishi described its agreement with Peugeot as a memorandum of understanding that is "consistent with its worldwide electric vehicle strategy."

Mitsubishi's iMiEV technology currently is being tested in Japan -- where it is scheduled to debut this summer -- as well as in the U.S., Europe and New Zealand.

Today's announcement confirmed media reports about an electric car technology collaboration that surfaced last summer shortly after Mitsubishi became a minority partner in Peugeot's new $465 million plant in Russia.

Mitsubishi still plans to market its own line of electric vehicles in Europe. The Peugeot deal "would be mutually beneficial since the collaboration of MMC and PSA Peugeot Citroen will ease and accelerate the introduction of their electric vehicles in the European market," according to a statement on Mitsubishi's Web site.

Mitsubishi plans to introduce electric cars in Japan this summer. Closer to home, Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric have been testing the zero-emissions four-passenger electric vehicle.