Yamada-Denki Co., Ltd. Starts Trial Sales of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation's i-MiEV [JP]

Yamada-Denki Co., Ltd. Starts Trial Sales of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation's i-MiEV

- First Collaboration in Japan between Automobile Maker and Electronics Retailer for Electric Vehicle Sales

Tokyo, December 1, 2010 - Yamada-Denki Co., Ltd. (Yamada Denki) and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to start trial sales of the i-MiEV electric vehicle (EV) in Yamada Denki retail stores and sales*1 will begin from today at total of 17 stores, including Tokyo, Kanagawa and Saitama prefectures.

Yamada Denki, as part of its "smart house business," will place salespersons specialized in EVs in addition to staff from 17 stores which are already participating in an automobile sales program in order to accelerate their sales. Furthermore, Yamada-Denki will implement proactive public relations activities, such as establishing an exhibition hall for i-MiEV in the Techland Yokohama Izumi store on December 4, and moving forward will also offer total solutions to customers, such as installments of solar energy systems to charging stations, and events including test drive events.

The impetus for the project started from the E-Kizuna Project that was held this April in Saitama City when both companies attended the "1st E-Kizuna Forum in Saitama." At the Forum, both MMC and Yamada Denki discussed the possibility of sales of EVs at electronics retailers, under the common understanding that promotion and popularization of EVs has an important role to play in achieving a low-carbon society.

Yamada-Denki has been proactive in its efforts towards environmental issues, and as part of the "smart-house business," has already started planning and sales for energy-saving eco-friendly products such as solar electricity generators, EcoCute, and 100% electric-powered home electric systems. In the future, EVs will be able to act as an energy sources, and it is forseen that EVs will play an important role in efficient electrical distribution and usage in households; and by initiating sales of EVs Yamada Denki is proactively promoting total solutions in its "smart house business."

MMC introduced the i-MiEV in Japan in July 2009, has started individual sales from this April and has sold about 3,000 units so far in Japan. In order to popularize EVs, a nonconventional automobile category, implementation of nonconventional new initiatives that go beyond the boundary of the industry are necessary. Moving forward, cooperation with electronics retailers, who will be able to provide ideas about new ways to use EVs in living environments will hold a deeper importance.

*1 Yamada-Denki Co. Ltd and Kanto Mitsubishi Motors Sales Co. Ltd. signed a Basic Marketing Contract for EV supply

*2 EV Popularization Project for Saitama City

*3 A committee organized by Saitama City on April 26, 2010 in order to have a place for related parties (national government, heads of 10 leading companies and 20 municipal bodies) to exchange information and opinions to make possible a low-carbon society where safe and pleasant EV travel is possible anywhere.