London, Dec 28 (ANI): The first proper-performance, four-seater electric car from Mitsubishi, a major car manufacturer, which is eco friendly and has zero tailpipe emissions, is all set to be launched on the UK market.

According to a report in The Independent, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) could herald a new dawn for electric motoring.

Offering zero emissions from its tailpipe, it is the first crash-tested all-electric four-seat vehicle from a mainstream carmaker that will be available in the UK.

The i-MiEV can fit four 6ft adults plus 246 litres of luggage, and reach a top speed of 87mph.

The battery pack, which makes the car 200 kg heavier than its conventional petrol version, sits under the floor and the 47kW (63bhp) electric motor occupies the space near the rear wheels

It will be available in the UK, initially for leasing, from the middle of 2009 and can travel up to 100 miles without charging.

The i-MiEV marks a dramatic leap forward in quality from the vehicles which have so far dominated the electric car market in the UK.

Developed from Mitsubishi’’s petrol-driven i-minicar, the i-MiEV is fully crash-tested, and offers double the speed of its predecessors.

Mitsubishi is convinced there is a serious market for the i-MiEV, in spite of the hefty price tag of 35,000 pounds.

Expensive though it is, there seems little doubt the i-MiEV is showing the way to the future of motoring, as the threat of climate change grows and transport policy increasingly bears down on vehicle emissions of carbon dioxide, the principal greenhouse gas.

About 200 cars will be available for leasing from selected UK dealers next summer, for about 750 pounds per month. (ANI)