Mitsubishi eK X EV wins JAHFA Car of the Year award

Mitsubishi Japan recently announced that the all-new eK X EV — an all-electric kei-car — has won the Japan Automotive Hall of Fame (JAHFA) Car of the Year award.

“The selection committee highly evaluated the eK X EV as a full-fledged electric vehicle (EV) that conforms to Japanese kei-car standards and contributes to the expansion of the domestic EV market. The eK X EV was also recognized for its high-quality interior and powerful EV road performance above its class, as well as an excellent driving safety assist system for a kei-car,” Mitsubishi said in a press release.

The award-winning Japan-only Mitsubishi eK X EV looks like a cute version of the locally available Montero Sport — and it's just one of the reasons why we think many Filipino EV adopters would want one.

At the fore is a front fascia that looks pretty much like the front end of the Mitsubishi Montero Sport. It wears the brand’s dynamic shield design with a nearly identical set of lights on each side. It even has roof rails on top and can be had with a set of either 14-inch or 15-inch wheels.

Per Mitsubishi Japan, the eK X EV measures 3,395 millimeters (mm) long, 1,475mm wide, and 1,655mm tall, making it smaller than the Toyota Wigo — perfect for the metro’s tight city streets. Its minimum ground clearance is 145mm, which is not bad either.

Inside is a leather-wrapped steering wheel and seats swathed in a combination of leather and fabric. It has a seven-inch instrument panel and a nine-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Power comes from its AC synchronous electric motor that puts out 27 horsepower (hp) with 195Nm of torque. According to Mitsubishi, the eK X EV offers a 180-kilometer (km) range on a single charge. It even has three driving modes (Eco, Normal, and Sport) to best suit one’s motoring needs.

It is offered in two variants: G and P. They are priced at ¥2.398 million (P953,438) and ¥2,932,600 (P1.166 million), respectively. 

Mitsubishi Philippines could have made the recently held 10th Philippine Electric Vehicle Summit (PEVS) more exciting with the eK X EV on display alongside the brand’s Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV). But, we are keeping our fingers crossed that the steady shift of the local automotive landscape to EV could convince the brand's local arm to bring the eK X EV in the country.

Photos from Mitsubishi Japan

Also read: 

Mitsubishi ‘Reimagine Your Ride’ tour returns to Luzon

Mitsubishi sells 43.7K units worldwide in Jul. 2022

Mitsubishi to equip US-spec 2023 Eclipse Cross with Super All-Wheel Control as standard