Mitsubishi and Libya’s Al Fateh University will sign a memorandum of understanding to begin joint research and development of reusable energy sources.

The Japanese trading company will put up the money for research into reusable energy by Libya’s largest university. Japan will also supply test materials and send specialists to Al Fateh from 2009 to 2011. The two will also engage in field-tests of solar power generation systems at the university.

Libya is one of the world’s leading oil-producing countries. The country is also working to develop green energy. Libya is a prime location in that it has hours of intense sunlight each day. Mitsubishi and Al Fateh U want to develop technology and expertise. After that, they will cultivate leaders for the new industry.

Wind power is also on the docket because of the strong gusts that buffet the country’s coastal region.

Mitsubishi wants more trade with Africa. Libya is seeking technology from advanced countries. Win-win, eh?

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When a foreign (outside of Japan) car maker can’t make a car as good as Japan does, what do they do? Contract a Japanese car maker to make it for them and call it their own.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will make electric cars for France’s PSA Peugeot Citroen Group beginning early next year. The French government is ponying up to 5,000 euros, ($6,500), and giving tax breaks to those who buy electric cars. The U.K. and Germany are doing the same. And, Europe is bent on becoming the leading electric-car market.

Mitsubishi Motors will make its i MiEV passenger car on an OEM basis. The MiEV will debut in Japan this summer. It can go 160km (100 mi) on a single charge, more than enough for one day.

Mitsubishi gets access to PSA Peugeot Citroen’s sales network throughout Europe and Peugeot can sell the electric cars under its own brand helping the company make inroads into the green vehicle market. Because they have a larger market for its cars, increased production will help lower costs and boost competitiveness.

The i MiEV will cost about $20,000 and should be competitive with conventional gasoline-powered cars in France aftert the subsidies are taken into account.

The president of Mitsubishi Motors Corp., Osamu Masuko, said Monday that that Mitsubishi is currently developing a plug-in hybrid car. The automaker has plans to develop a plug-in hybrid and launch a mass-produced electric vehicle next year in Japan.

Speaking at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan, Masuko opined that the plug-in hybrid will be a better suit for longer distances than an electric car. U,. Mitsubishi is a bit late to the party, no? But, then I guess it is better late than never.

Meanwhile, GMC, Ford and Chrysler continue to restructure.

Japanese policemen will be saving us from bad guys and saving the planet’s resources at the same time. Well, at least they will be doing the second. The truth is, Japanese police have never been too good at catching the bad guys.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp. will supply new vehicles, the Mitsubishi MiEV, to Japanese in Kanagawa prefecture, home to Yokohama. The electric car has a top speed of 130 kph and can travel 160km on a charge.

The mini patrol car won’t need much speed, however, because it will be used to track illegally parked cars. How fast do you need to go to do that?

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