First, we need to approach a common issue that comes up as people first get to know electric cars. Unfortunately, there is no way that an electric car can generate all of the power it needs to move from purely renewable energy resources that are held onboard. There just isn’t enough space for solar cells, and windmills cause air resistance at the same time they generate energy. This means that, at the current time, cars must have batteries in them to store electricity that is produced from other sources and at other times.

That having been said, there is no reason that a car cannot contribute somewhat to its own energy requirements. Mitsubishi is exploring this with a new concept car that will be displayed at the Tokyo Motor Show. The i MiEV Sport model has been created with an aluminum body to keep weight down and uses high-performance rechargeable batteries. This new model has a range of 200 kilometers (about 125 miles) and a maximum speed of 180 kilometers per hour (about 112 miles per hour). This puts the i MiEV Sport at a much higher level of performance and efficiency than previous i MiEV models.

The car also features solar panels on the roof so that the car can charge on sunny days. There is also a small wind generator installed in the front air intake system, which enables the car to generate wind energy as it drives. As we discussed earlier, neither of these measures can replace plug-in charging, but they can contribute to a more efficient car overall.