Mitsubishi had already announced that it was planning to bring a plug-in hybrid SUV concept to the Tokyo motor show, but that MI-Tech car is now going to be joined by a new partly-automated city car concept, the Super Height K-Wagon.
Targa-top convertible
The MI-Tech is still just a concept, but the tech that underpins it, and some of the styling, is shaping up to become the next Outlander. The shadowy image that Mitsubishi has shown us gives us a glimpse at a targa-top convertible shape, which has more than a few overtones of Mitsubishi's old Pajero-based Rally Raid cars. And that's a big thumbs up from us...
Mitsubishi says that it's an: "Electric SUV that delivers unparalleled driving pleasure and confidence over all terrain in light and wind." OK. That apparently means that it gets a down-sized and more efficient plug-in hybrid powertrain, and that instead of the two-motor setup Mitsubishi currently used for the Outlander PHEV, it uses four electric motors - one for each wheel.
Gas turbine power
Even more excitingly, Mitsubishi says that the MI-Tech concept uses not a conventional petrol engine for its longer-range duties, but a 'gas turbine engine-generator.' Turbine engines have been proposed before as the ideal solution for range extending tech (they're light, smooth, powerful, and can run on almost any fuel that burns) but no-one has yet had the ability to bring one to the market. Will Mitsubishi be the first?
The MI-Tech concept also includes an augmented reality windscreen, and an MI-Pilot system that can help the driver to avoid any potential collisions.
Ultra-spacious Kei-car
The Super Height K-Wagon concept is a typical Kei-car - designed for Japanese laws that give tax breaks to small, ultra-compact and efficient city cars - so probably won't be coming to Europe (more's the pity). It does look rather cool, though. It mixes the usual Kei-car narrow width and tall roof with some SUV-ish styling cues, and Mitsubishi say's it's ultra-spacious inside. Plus, it too gets the MI-Pilot system which should help to make it one of the safest small cars around.
Mitsubishi will also show off its Dendo Drive House module. This is a system that mixes a storage battery, solar panels, and an electric car charger. The idea is that you can attach it to your house, and it can provide power for your home appliances, charge your car, and also draw spare energy from your car's battery at peak power demand times, or if there's a power cut for some reason.