Peugeot has recently announced that it will be launching the iOn vehicle—a small car based on Mitsubishi’s iMiEV— by the end of 2010. It is expected to use a lithium-ion battery system that should give it 130 km (80.8 miles) range.

It’s a four-door car that has a maximum speed of 130 km/h (81 mph) with a max power output of 47 kW (64 bhp). The batteries are rechargeable in six hours with a conventional 220 V socket. It can also reach 80 percent charged capacity within thirty minutes with their quick charge option.

With the ion, which will be presented to the world for the 1st time at the Frankfurt Motor Show, Peugeot is incorporating the latest automotive edition into its model range.

It also offers an onboard “localized communication unit” that will authorize the emergency call system and transfer data such as distance covered, battery status, and time before maintenance, making it well suited to businesses looking for options for their fleets.

Peugeot is a pioneer in the electric vehicle world, having produced 106 EVs between 1995 and 2003 (the most “zero-emissions” cars in the world, they claim). They also plan to produce the Hybrid4, a crossover hybrid that’s set to be released in 2011 (which was showcased at the Paris Motor Show earlier in 2009). It has 4-wheel drive and will have 147 kW (200 bhp) of power. Running in electric only mode from start-up to speeds of 50 kph (31 mph), it will switch to the diesel engine only mode at stable speeds on open roads or highways.