Nissan Motor Co., Ltd. (hereafter, Nissan), Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (hereafter, Mitsubishi Motors), and NMKV Co., Ltd. (hereafter, NMKV) held a line-off ceremony today for the new Kei or mini electric vehicle (EV) to be released by Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors. The ceremony took place at the Mitsubishi Motors’ Mizushima Plant in Kurashiki City, Okayama Pref., Japan, where the vehicle is produced.
Under planning and development management by NMKV, a joint venture of Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, the Kei EV has not only integrated Nissan’s advanced technologies with Mitsubishi Motors’ expertise in manufacturing Kei cars, but also the two companies’ combined electrification technologies. This new-generation Kei EV will be launched as the Nissan Sakura and the Mitsubishi Motors eK X EV*.
*pronounced eK cross EV
In addition to the EV production technology that the Mizushima Plant has honed through the i-MiEV, the world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle, as well as Minicab MiEV, the plant has achieved high quality and cost competitiveness through the investments for on-site battery pack integrated production, EV platform production line, and more.
Makoto Uchida, president and chief executive officer of Nissan, Takao Kato, president and chief executive officer of Mitsubishi Motors, and Mitsuro Antoku, president and chief executive officer of NMKV, attended the ceremony, together with Mizushima Plant employees and other local related parties. In front of the new Kei EV, which had just come out from the production line, they committed to further growth.
Offering both sufficient range for everyday use and an affordable price, the new Kei EV has realized the smooth and powerful driving experience of EVs, a quiet and comfortable ride, as well as high safety and comfort through the adoption of advanced driver assistance systems and connectivity.
Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors will deepen their collaboration through NMKV to build an even more competitive Kei vehicle lineup.
SOURCE: Mitsubishi Motors
