In a recent interview with Leftlane, Peugeot marketing director Christian Peugeot said he thinks electric cars aren’t ready for the masses. Despite this, a new report out of Japan indicates Mitsubishi has signed an agreement to provide PSA Peugeot Citroen with electric car technology and lithium-ion batteries.

The two car manufacturers may also explore the possibility of forming a joint electric vehicle production venture, according to Japan’s Nikkei newspaper. A specific timeline was not give, but the year 2010 seems to be when a number of electric vehicles or hybrids are due to debut, including Chevy’s Volt and Toyota’s next-generation Prius and other new hybrids. Mitsubishi plans to launch an all-electric vehicle then as well, likely to be a small city car and only for the Japanese market.

Under the reported agreement, Mitsubishi would supply Peugeot with technology that has to do with the conversion of electricity into drive power and keeping batteries from overheating, in addition to building the lithium-ion batteries for Peugeot.

Mitsubishi Motors builds Citroen and Peugeot versions of its Outlander SUV, badged as the C-Crosser and 4007, respectively.

Unenthusiastic on electric cars

During an interview with Leftlane recently, Peugeot cast doubt on claims by fellow French car-maker Renault-Nissan that it will have electric cars on sale by 2010.

“It’s just an announcement, but the announcement is not the reality,” Christian Peugeot claimed.

Peugeot has sold more than 10,000 electric city cars, but halted production a decade ago due to low demand and Peugeot believes the electric car’s Achilles heel has yet to be cured.

“We all have to reduce all the emissions but remember that we sold more than 10,000 electric cars already and we did it 10 years ago.

“Today, it is not a solution because the batteries are not good enough. In the long term these cars have a chance, but maybe not tomorrow morning,” he said.

“People think they must have the possibility to drive more than an hour, even if they never do.

While Renault, Nissan, GM and Honda are working with future electric cars, Peugeot has been there and done that and still draws data from its electric cars still running on French roads.

“The Renault-Nissan announcement shows that everybody is thinking about these things (electric cars), but that’s all it is,” he said.

“We already did more than this in the past but we were too early with it and not enough range. It needs at least 200 km.

“If they have many cars in the family or it is part of a company fleet, then they can have an electric car,” he said.

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