Mitsubishi to work with Netherlands government on EV promotion
Osamu Masuko, president of Mitsubishi Motors, paid a visit to the Netherlands this week to meet with prime minister Jan Peter Balkenende on the subject of electric vehicles. Mitsubishi recently delivered a production iMiEV to the Dutch embassy in Japan for use there. The Dutch government launched a tax incentive program to promote EV field tests last June and wants to expand the program beyond just fleets.
Mitsubishi will be working with the Dutch just as it is in numerous other countries (including Monaco, Iceland and Hong Kong) to expand availability of both plug-in vehicles and build out a network of public charge points to facilitate the use of EVs. Mitsubishi is now offering the iMiEV for sale in Japan and showed a small cargo box version of the car last week at the Tokyo Motor Show.
[Source: Mitsubishi]
press release
The Netherlands' Prime Minister Balkenende and President Masuko of Mitsubishi Motors Meet On Support of Electric Vehicle Promotion Programs
Tokyo, October 28, 2009- The Netherlands' Prime Minister Balkenende and President Osamu Masuko of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) held a meeting on October 27th, and MMC agreed to support the Netherlands in their electric vehicle (EV) promotion program.
The Netherlands government has already launched this June a subsidy program to provide incentives for EV evaluation trials and demonstration projects and is working on popularization of the EV as one method of sustainable transportation. The Netherlands government intends to put in place a taskforce called the "E-Team," composed of both members of the government and the private sector to explore the issue, and requested MMC's support in their EV promotion program.
MMC has already concluded memorandums of understanding (MoU) with the Monaco, Iceland, and Hong Kong governments regarding testing and promotion of EVs. MMC supplied i-MiEVs to the governments and is supporting efforts led by each government to promote EVs in each country.
MMC delivered its new-generation EV, the i-MiEV, to the Netherlands Embassy in Japan in late September. This is the first time MMC has delivered an i-MiEV to an embassy in Japan.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
radler63 12:58PM (10/29/2009)
I don't understand the logic behind that. Is this the new business model having states paying for very very expensive but clean cars?
Since GM is now state owned this is another socialisation of cost.
I would rather like seeing a business model for privately financed clean mobility.
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Beavker 1:40PM (10/29/2009)
From a progressives point of view:
Yes. That is the new business model if we actually want to create clean cars. How did our Big 3 do at getting that done (see, "Who killed the electric car")?
If Asbestos were cheaper than Fiberglass Insulation, should we leave it to the Free Market to decide if asbestos were to be eliminated despite it essencially killing people? I'd hope not. People in this country, as a whole, are to short sighted and ingorant to change as a whole to something that not only the rest of the free world is moving to, but something that will utlimately save our planet.
I'd hate for GM, Exxon and Cigna to decide what is best for our country. Governments make the rules, presumably to help the constituency that elected them because each person doesn't have the time or power to do that (representation). Then the rest play by those rules. If there aren't rules, those corporations will take advantage of it to their best interest not your's (see, "Wall Street during the last decade").
Laurens 1:33PM (10/29/2009)
Loads of government subsidies has resulted in the Prius being the nr. 1 seller in the Netherlands. 17.000 Euro to save 50 Euro CO2 rights, over 4 years/150.000 km, compared to a state of art diesel.
Looks like we're copying this silly business model to include EV's as well. Hopefully Mitsubishi in turn will produce the iMiEV in an idling car plant in the Catholic south of Netherlands, to benefit the MP's political party, and maybe, maybe recoup some of the vast subsidies through company taxes, for all other inhabitants.
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