Oct. 1 (Bloomberg) -- Mitsubishi Motors Corp., the maker of the i-MiEV electric minicar, will display a plug-in hybrid concept sport-utility vehicle at the Tokyo Motor Show this month, as it seeks to add larger alternative-energy models.

The PX-MiEV has a fuel economy of 50 kilometers per liter (118 miles per gallon), according to the carmaker. The SUV has a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and a lithium-ion battery that can be recharged at a household outlet. Mitsubishi Motors aims to introduce a similar vehicle around 2013, said Noboru Mori, an advanced technology specialist at the company.

Mitsubishi Motors joins carmakers including Toyota Motor Corp. in planning to release plug-in hybrids. Toyota, the world’s largest automaker, plans to deliver its first plug-in Prius hybrids with lithium batteries to U.S., Japanese and European fleets later this year. General Motors Co.’s plug-in Volt is scheduled to go on sale late next year, and Ford Motor Co. plans to introduce plug-in hybrid models in 2012.

“Mitsubishi needs to have an eco-car in its mainstay SUV lineup, in addition to small electric cars,” said Masatoshi Nishimoto, a Tokyo-based analyst at auto consulting company CSM Worldwide. “Boosting SUV sales is critical for the company.”

Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Motors started selling its first battery-powered electric vehicle, the i-MiEV, in July and plans to sell plug-in hybrid versions of the car in 2013.

The Tokyo Motor Show opens to the public on Oct. 24.

To contact the reporters on this story: Kiyori Ueno in Tokyo at kueno2@bloomberg.net; Tetsuya Komatsu in Tokyo at tekomatsu@bloomberg.net

Last Updated: September 30, 2009 11:00 EDT