Mitsubishi Concept Global Small

Mitsubishi is putting the emphasis on efficiency at the Geneva motor show this year with its new Concept Global Small supermini.

The five-door, five-seater is a little smaller than the Colt supermini and promises great things as far as economy and emissions go.

An all-electric version of the car will also be available from launch in 2013, but even the 1.0- or 1.2-litre petrol engines have the target of class-leading CO2 emissions of around 95g/km.

That, in turn, will mean hugely impressive fuel economy of more than 70mpg. This puts the Concept Global Small in the lowest company car tax band and makes it exempt from the London Congestion Charge.

This is all the more impressive because the Concept Global Small manages this with petrol engines, which aren't as efficient as diesels, but have better control over local pollutants such as NOX and particulates.

The shape of the car is dictated by aerodynamics, while Mitsubishi has put in regenerative braking and engine stop-start systems to make the car as efficient as possible.

Mitsubishi Concept Global Small video
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Prices will start at just under 8500, nearly 1000 less than the Colt is currently sold from. The Colt will be built at the Nedcar plant in Europe until the end of next year, Concept Global Small effectively serving as its replacement.

Mitsubishi wants to establish the Concept Global Small on a global level, with plans to distribute up to 200,000 of the cars from its production facility in Thailand.

Besides the electric version of this concept, and the existing iMiEV battery-powered city car, Mitsubishi also announced that it plans to have eight EV and plug-in electric hybrids on sale by 2013.