TOKYO -- Nissan Motor and Mitsubishi Motors plan to launch an electric minicar as early as next year that will cost consumers less than 2 million yen ($18,400) with subsidies, close to the price of a conventional gasoline car.
The alliance partners are jointly developing a so-called kei car with a common platform and battery to keep costs low. Because minicars are typically used for short-range day-to-day driving, the battery range will be limited to around 200 km, further reducing the expense of a system that accounts for 30% of the cost of an electric vehicle.
