Nissan, Mitsubishi launch their new ‘Kei’ micro-car EV in Japan
NMKV Co. – a JV formed by Nissan Motor Co. and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation - held a line-off ceremony recently to reveal the all-new Kei EV or mini electric vehicle. This new-generation EV will be launched in the Japanese market as the Nissan Sakura and the Mitsubishi Motors 'eK X EV' (pronounced as 'eK cross EV').
Kei cars, also called as Japanese city cars or ultra-minis, is a category of smallest road-legal passenger cars popular in the Japanese market.
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, according to the company.
The company claims that 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.
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.
The Kei EV will be manufactured in Mizushima facility of Mitsubishi Motors. The plant already produces i-MiEV, the world's first mass-produced electric vehicle, as well as Minicab MiEV.
NMKV claims that 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.
