Mitsubishi has introduced a new kei car in Japan called the eK X EV (the X is read as ‘cross’). It is a fully electric kei car and the newest member of the eK X range. It will be available for sale this summer.
Let’s talk about her appearance first. Doesn’t that sound familiar? To us, it looks like a cartoon version of the new Mitsubishi Outlander that hit a brick wall up front and flattened out on its side. That’s no surprise, though, as Mitsubishi markets the eK X series as kei cars with an SUV flavor.
Cartoonish looks aside, the eK X EV is actually a nifty little vehicle that doesn’t cost much. Factoring in subsidies for choosing to buy an electric vehicle, the new electric kei car is priced at 1,848,000 yen, or about $14,000 with current exchange rates. Not bad.
That money gets you a vehicle that can go 112 miles (180 kilometers) on a single charge – perfect for city dwellers. The 20 kWh battery can recharge to full capacity in eight hours on a normal charge (200 V AC/14.5 A), or around 40 minutes to 80% on a fast charge.
These figures should be sufficient, according to Mitsubishi, as a survey shows that around 80% of kei and compact car users travel 31 miles (50 km) or less per day.
The Mitsubishi eK X EV is not a powerful car, however. It makes decent numbers, particularly 63 horsepower (47 kW) and 195 Newton-meters (144 pound-feet) of torque – just enough to get you through the urban jungle for your daily errands and chores.
Much like the Nissan Rogue/X-Trail-based Outlander, the Mitsubishi eK X EV is being co-developed with the automaker through their long-standing alliance. Nissan’s version is called the Sakura, although it looks like a cartoon version of the Nissan Ariya that hit a brick wall.
