SALON AUTO MTL. Auto Show(TM) Television at the Montreal Auto Show with Mitsubishi. This article is provided by Warren A. Lyon; Photo Journalist.

Mitsubishi is at the cutting edge of zero fuel technology.  They produce several PHEV vehicles and the question is whether they will produce a fuel cell hybrid also.  The e-Evolution Concept is an all-electric, high-performance crossover SUV with artificial intelligence(AI). The concept car was designed to demonstrate Mitsubishi's future vision for electric vehicles and to improve the driving experience for drivers of all abilities. 

Features:

• AI system: Uses sensors to read road and traffic conditions, and the driver's intent. The AI can also provide coaching to improve the driver's skill. 
• Active Yaw Control: Uses electric calipers to control driving forces and provide responsive handling. 
• Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC): Uses three motors to improve traction and tighten cornering. 
• High-performance brakes: Electric calipers provide strong stopping power. 
• Large dashboard display: Shows outside conditions, navigation, and coaching information. 
• Front and rear cameras: Two smaller screens on either side of the dashboard act as cameras. 
• Full-frame windows: Provide a nearly unobstructed 360-degree view. 

Design: 

• Low, sporty roofline
• Aggressive taillights
• Broken C-pillar that makes the roof look like it's floating
• "Dynamic Shield" face
• Aerodynamic C-pillar tail fins
• Bumper vents

According to Mitsubishi, it is Sleek and powerful with styling that combines Mitsubishi’s passion for performance with the functional needs to navigate any terrain. An elevated, SUV stance with broad shoulders, narrow hips and short overhangs exudes comfort, power and agility. Our quintessential Dynamic Shield design is taken to its next level. The familial black grille is shielded under glass, a subtle hint that this car is indeed a high-performance electric vehicle. Race-derived engineering techniques like the large air intakes have been exquisitely tucked in below the headlamps to route cooling air towards the electric brakes, turning function into beautiful form. The hexagon shape at the rear draws inspiration from the legendary Mitsubishi Pajero, a hallmark of off-road driving, and one of the iconic chapters of Mitsubishi’s heritage.

Inside, the cockpit of the e-EVOLUTION CONCEPT welcomes the driver and passengers into an open, airy, and spacious greenhouse. The driver is ensconced in a cockpit that is both familiar and futuristic, highlighted by an instrument panel that appears to float in front of them. A large, intuitive and interactive screen spans the full width of the dashboard. It displays outside conditions, navigation and coaching information – rally racing is in our blood, after all. That large screen is flanked by two smaller screens that display images from the front and rear cameras. Full-frame windows provide near unobstructed 360-degree visibility, for a feeling more akin to a jet fighter than a car. And that feeling continues when you drive e-EVOLUTION CONCEPT too.

The e-EVOLUTION CONCEPT uses three high-torque, high-performance electric motors, fed by a high- capacity battery system to deliver smooth and powerful performance. Acceleration is instantaneous at all speeds but also controlled and optimised for changing conditions.

Our three-motor 4WD system places a single motor in the front to drive the front wheels and two others dedicated to the rear. Those rear motors are complemented by a new Active Yaw Control (AYC) system that transmits power through an electronically controlled torque- vectoring AYC unit.

Active Yaw Control uses individual brakes to responsively and precisely control the driving forces, through electric calipers that supersede the conventional hydraulic caliper. The effects of the system can be felt and appreciated immediately, even at low speeds when G-forces are low.

All of this is integrated with Mitsubishi’s unique and dynamic Super All-Wheel Control (S-AWC) system. Developed on the company’s all-conquering World Rally Championship and Paris-Dakar rally cars, it will ensure optimal and precise traction and performance in all conditions.

Combine these technologies with the fact that the drive battery powering the e-EVOLUTION CONCEPT is located under the floor, mid-ship of the vehicle, providing a low centre of gravity, and you have a vehicle that is both incredibly stable, predictable and responsive as well. Whether driving around town, on expressways, or winding roads, the fully electric e-EVOLUTION CONCEPT always provides crisp and nimble handling that faithfully mirrors driver intent.

Many of these technologies are already available in some form or another in many of Mitsubishi’s current lineup of vehicles. But with the e-EVOLUTION CONCEPT, we have pushed the envelope and taken things even further.

The brain of the e-EVOLUTION CONCEPT is an Artificial Intelligence (AI) system that has been designed specifically to heighten the driver’s capabilities. An array of sensors allows the AI system to instantly read changes in road and traffic conditions, as well as the driver’s intent.

Seamlessly coordinating driver intent with vehicle performance, the system supports drivers of all abilities. By making it easier and safer to control the vehicle, the driving experience is brought to a new level.

There is also a special coaching function that allows the AI system to educate the driver, and seamlessly enhance their driving skill. After building a profile of the driver’s skill level, the system constructs a training program that provides advice through voice dialogue and a large dashboard display. As a result, drivers of all abilities quickly experience a vehicle that has become an extension of themselves, further enabling future Mitsubishi owners to drive their ambition like never before.

Nobel Prize winning physicist Dennis Gabor once wrote that “the future cannot be predicted, but futures can be invented”. With the e-EVOLUTION CONCEPT, Mitsubishi Motors isn’t predicting the future, we’re inventing it.