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A game-changing electric vehicle is now firming for Australia, with Mitsubishi understood to be a contender for the title of Australia's cheapest EV with its potential new offering.
The car is the Mitsubishi eK X, with the brand's Australian arm understood to be targeting a $30k-$35k price bracket for the bite-sized EV. That would make it Australia's cheapest electric vehicle, undercutting the BYD Dolphin, MG4 and GWM Ora, all of which span $35,990 (Ora) to $38,990, drive-away.
The Mitsubishi eK X is a twin to the Nissan Sakura, and is a Japanese kei car', essentiality a small-footprint city EV that's big on personality, but less so on standard safety equipment – the latter being what has so far kept them from Australia.
But Mitsubishi is touring the current-generation eK X in Australia at the moment, and says it is considering launching the new-generation vehicle, due next year, in our market for the first time.
"The reality is that the car meets Japanese safety regulations. The reality is that it does not meet ANCAP five star, and will not meet ANCAP five star. We'd probably get three stars," says Mitsubishi's Australian CEO, Shaun Westcott.
"The problem that we have in Australia is that there is a mentality or psychology or social norm or whatever you want to call it that goes 'it's five star or nothing. If it's not five star, don't buy it'.
"What I've done is that we brought that car to Australia to take the pulse, because ultimately the consumer decides. I'm a global citizen, I've lived in various countries around the world where four-star is good safety and three-star is adequate safety, particularly for a small city car that doesn't do more than 60 kilometres an hour, and 50 kilometres, in some places. One that never gets out of the city. A range of 180km, intended to be driven for a week in a city, one charge a week."
Mr Westcott says he sees an opportunity for the budget-friendly EV in Australia, either in this generation or the new-gen vehicle, expected next year.
"We have brought a car to Australia, we are taking the pulse of society. We are and we do have a very close collaboration with our parenting company. We are talking to them. I personally believe, whether this generation or the next generation, there's an opportunity for that car," he says.
"I think there's a place for that car."
The current-gen eK X EV is powered by a single electric motor producing 48kW and 195Nm, while a 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack delivers a 180km WLTP driving range.
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