Japan's MMC to sell electric cars next year-Nikkei

TOKYO, July 10 (Reuters) - Mitsubishi Motors Corp (7211.T) will begin selling its electric car to individual customers in Japan from summer 2009, slightly ahead of schedule, banking on strong interest amid record-high fuel prices, the Nikkei business daily said.

The Japanese automaker, one of the front-runners in the development of electric cars, had said it would begin offering the zero-emission car, called i-MiEV, mainly to fleet customers next summer and to individuals no later than 2010.

A spokesman said the company was still studying the timing of the launch to customers, and a 2009 roll-out remained possible.

Mitsubishi Motors has said the electric car, based on the 660cc gasoline-engine "i" minivehicle, would be priced at 2.5-3 million yen ($23,420-28,100).

Due to limitations of energy storage capacity in batteries, electric cars have a short cruising range and are considered most suited for short-distance driving.

Nissan Motor Co (7201.T) and Renault SA (RENA.PA) are also aggressively promoting the possibility of electric cars, although it has not shown a prototype yet. On Wednesday, the Franco-Japanese alliance signed a deal with Portugal to promote electric cars, following similar agreements with Israel and Denmark. [ID:nL09347208]

Nissan is looking to commercialise electric cars first in Japan and the United States in 2010. ($1=106.76 Yen) (Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Michael Watson)