If you've had the opportunity to pilot Mitsubishi's road-going rally rocket, you know that few vehicles in its price segment can match its combination of performance, handing and road-holding ability. So why mess with perfection? The answer is simply 'progress.' The Evolution has been the test bed of Mitsubishi's engineers for over a decade and when new technology needs a place to call home, the EVO is one of the first recipients.
Mitsubishi has been toying with in-wheel electric motors (or MIEV) for some time and although the first commercial application of this technology will find its way into Kei cars and other sub-compacts, the performance potential is undeniable. So when Mitsu's eggheads needed a development mule to show off what an all-electric performance car could do, they turned to their stalwart, the EVO.
Pop the hood and where the loveable, long-in-the-tooth 4G63 turbo'd two-liter used to reside, there now sits a large black computer module. In the trunk, it's the same story. However, move around to the wheel-well of your choosing, get down on your hands and knees and you'll see where the EVO gets its go. Behind each 20-inch (!?) roller, a 50kW motor is mounted. With four motors altogether, the MIEV EVO produces about 270 BHP and 382 ft.-lbs. of torque. With that kind of power, Mitsubishi expects their electric EVO to get to sixty in under seven seconds and have a range of about 150 miles.
We've seen concepts of such a vehicle in the past and rumors about Mitsubishi's endeavors into electric power are widely publicized, so it isn't a stretch to predict that some variation of an all-wheel-drive sedan is on the horizon. How far out, is another question entirely.
[Source: AutoExpress]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Chad @ Nov 8th 2006 6:57PM
270 BHP and 382 ft.-lbs. of torque... And 60 in "under 7 seconds"? This thing must literally weigh 2 tons. The current gas EVO can do it in 5.1 and THAT doesn't have electric-motor-instatorque.
I would love to see some performance-oriented electric cars (no hybrids, thanks), but the battery situation really needs to be resolved. Hopefully fuel cell tech starts rolling soon.
villainy @ Nov 8th 2006 7:17PM
Chad: Let's see how well you accelerate with the unsprung mass of four electric motors added on!
I think its a cool performance experiment, but I'd agree with Mitsu that it probably belongs in kei cars and the like where performance shouldn't be as much of an issue.
Nathan @ Nov 8th 2006 7:38PM
The main thing is.... it's a start....! Tesla Motors has the right approach with not using in hub motors. But the main thing is getting electric cars that look good and can perform decently. I'm pretty sure if there is enough money going into R&D we'd get our electric cars that can go 500 miles to a charge and still go 0-60 in 4-6 seconds and be charged in an hour with a windmill/solar panels. It's just a matter of believing that it can be done by the majority.
doglet @ Nov 8th 2006 7:48PM
any word on weither or not all that unsprung weight kills the ride and handeling?
TheChaz @ Nov 8th 2006 8:18PM
doglet:
It certainly does. If you go back and read the Elon Musk interview from the Tesla launch, he was asked about the in-wheel motors and he specifically answered that it pushes tons of weight out to the corners - exactly where you don't want it to be as far as handling dynamics goes.
doglet @ Nov 8th 2006 10:54PM
i know that an increase in unsprung weight kills ride and handeling
has anyone actually driven one of these in wheel motor cars been able to verify that this is the case? do we know for a fact that mitsu has just decided that all its cars in the future are going to ride and handle like shit or have the come up with some way to counteract that?
PS the tesla doesnt have in wheel motors, i dont know to what you are refering
Dustin @ Nov 8th 2006 11:33PM
even besides handling, what's the only thing protecting the motors themselves from road harshness and years of incessant vibration? Oh yeah, the rubber band we call a tire, that is wrapped around the 20" rim..
ruggels @ Nov 9th 2006 1:14AM
Um... Doglet, TheChaz is speaking to exactly WHY the telsa doesn't have in wheel motors, read his quote again, telsa ISN'T using in wheel motors because they indicate in wheel motors DO affect handling. Given the fact that Telsa IS selling electric cars now, and has sold through their firs phase, i'd wager they might just know what they're talking about vs, say, a company with aspirations to be in telsa's place five years from now. There was a great article which came out when the telsa was released pertaining to just why telsa could stand to become a player in the automotive industry if they can get their costs down and volume up on their new few models, specifically because they are far ahead of any major automotive company in terms of batteries and power management specifically because they are a very well funded thinktank/design firm/startup in the heart of the silicon valley.
Toyota Car Lovers Online @ Dec 14th 2006 12:13PM
Electric cars such as this can be a more practical alternative to fuel-cell vehicles. There are still drawbacks to this technology but on the positive side, they are lighter and more aerodynamic than its non-electric counterparts.