Tokyo-based Mitsubishi Motors announced today that its new i MiEV electric vehicles will roll into the U.S. later this year to be tested by two California utilities.

Rosemead, Calif.'s Southern California Edison and San Francisco-based Pacific Gas and Electric will get a chance to put the electric cars through their paces when the vehicles are delivered in the fourth quarter.

Southern California Edison is a subsidiary of Edison International (NYSE: EIX). Pacific Gas and Electric is the primary operating unit of PG&E (NYSE: PCG).

Mitsubishi plans to start selling the four passenger cars in Japan next summer, but the company did not disclose when they'll be available to consumers in the U.S.

"The small, four-passenger Mitsubishi i MiEVs will enter into SCE's nationally-recognized prototype testing and evaluation program," said Tohru Hashimoto, head of i MiEV business promotion at Mitsubishi.

The automaker said the collaborations with the California utilities will provide technical feedback on the electric car and its battery performance, as well as on vehicle connection and integration into the electrical system.

"We are hoping for the opportunity to introduce the small, four-passenger Mitsubishi i MiEV to PG&E's fleet in the fourth quarter of this year so that we can begin real-world U.S. testing," said Hashimoto.

Mitsubishi did not say how many vehicles it will be shipping to the Golden State.

The i MiEV, based on Mitsubishi's "i" gasoline-powered mini car, offers a range of up to 100 miles, according to the automaker. The electric vehicle uses a 330-volt lithium-ion battery system, with a 47 kilowatt electric motor.

The battery was developed by Lithium Energy Japan, a joint venture of Mitsubishi Motors, Tokyo-based parent Mitsubishi Corp., and GS Yuasa, also headquarted in Tokyo.