Looking ahead to year 2020, the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the company, Mitsubishi today announced its new ‘Group Environmental Vision 2020’ roadmap for its future environmental and sustainable motoring policies.

The new environmental roadmap directs Mitsubishi’s commitment to the development of technology - spearheaded by electric vehicle (EV) technology - and to reducing the environmental impact of its business activities in general. To achieve the roadmap's goals and targets, Mitsubishi will focus its resources in a three-pronged approach focused on Product & Technology, Corporate Activities and Cooperation with Society.

As well as pushing ahead with the development of EV technologies, the company will seek to reduce environmental loads throughout the full lifecycle of its products in many ways including the improvement of fuel economy in internal combustion engine-powered vehicles and vehicle size and weight reduction.

Covering the full gamut of corporate activities from product planning through development, production, sales and after-sales services the company will step up its efforts to promote a more widespread use of the EV. In addition, the company will raise the level of its environmental protection activities throughout Mitsubishi by setting new environmental standards for each field of corporate activity - from production to distribution, procurement, sales and office work.

For cooperation with society, the company will work hand-in-hand with its customers and society at large in creating an infrastructure that supports the use of EVs. It will also step up its contribution to protecting the global environment by promoting more eco-friendly driving habits and through environmental conservation activities with local communities.

Some specific goals include reducing per-vehicle CO2 emissions during production by 20% over 2005 levels, achieving a production volume at least 20% of which is comprised of EVs, and cutting its global lineup CO2 emissions by a weighted average of 50% over 2005 levels.

Coinciding with today’s reveal of its environmental roadmap, Mitsubishi also started delivery of its i-MiEV to government and commercial customers and announced that the first sales to private individuals will commence in April next year.