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TOKYO (AFP) - Japan's Mitsubishi Motors announced Friday that it had started selling its zero-emission electric minicar in Europe as it tries to cash in on the growing popularity of eco-friendly autos.

The automaker said it has produced its "i-MiEV" -- Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle -- electric car for Europe since October and has shipped about 2,500 units so far.

Mitsubishi said it had stared selling the car in 15 countries including Britain, Spain, Sweden, Denmark, France and Belgium and would begin shipping to four more European countries soon.

"Later on, the i-MiEV shall be sequentially introduced further within Mitsubishi Motors Europe's territory," the company said in a statement.

Mitsubishi, which rolled out the car in Japan in 2009, has said the car runs quietly but accelerates quickly, and the running cost is one third of that of a petrol-powered car.

"Mitsubishi's launch is good news for development of electric cars", Jonnie Wistrand, Editor-in-chief of green tech site Teknik360, told the Swedish Wire. "Unfortunately, electric cars will be rather infrequent on the Swedish roads as prices are too high. Volumes will maintain low until battery costs have been reduced further and eco-friendly autos get a better competitive edge".