Mitsubishi i MiEV
Encyclopedia
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a five-door hatchback
electric car
produced by Mitsubishi Motors
, and is the electric version of the Mitsubishi i
. According to the manufacturer, the i-MiEV all-electric range
is 100 miles (160.9 km) on the Japanese test cycle. The range for the 2012 model year
American version, called "i" for this market, is 62 miles (99.8 km) on the US EPA
's cycle.
The i-MiEV was launched for fleet customers in Japan in July 2009, and on April 1, 2010, for the wider public. Retail sales began in the Japanese market at a price of (~). The electric car is eligible for government subsidies of , thus reducing the price to customers to (~). Sales to the public in Hong Kong
began in May 2010 at a price of (~) and sales to fleet customers in Australia
began in August 2010 via leasing. Cumulative global sales since July 2009 reached around 16,000 i-MiEVs by October 2011, including 4,000 units rebadged and sold as Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-ZERO
by September 2011.
The i-MiEV was launched in Germany in December 2010 at a price of (~). Sales in the U.K. began in January 2011 at a price of (~) before the Plug-in Car Grant. The i-MiEV was launched in Costa Rica
in February 2011 and in Chile
in May 2011. Sales in Canada
are scheduled for late 2011 and U.S. sales for January 2012. The American-only version, called "i", is larger than the Japanese version and has several additional features. Since November 2011 the 2012 model year American-spec i-MiEV ranks as the most fuel efficient EPA certified vehicle in the U.S. for all fuels ever.
kei car
, was first exhibited at the 22nd International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exposition in Yokohama.
Mitsubishi eschews the in-wheel motors (MIEV
) in favour of a more conventional array of batteries, motor and inverter
to replace the "rear midship
" engine and fuel tank of the conventional car. Mitsubishi Motors provided three power companies with vehicles in 2006 and 2007 in order to conduct joint research to evaluate how fast-charge infrastructure may be developed for EVs. Fleet testing by five power companies was conducted in 2007.
The car had a range of 130 kilometre for the 16 kW•h lithium-ion pack and 160 kilometre for the 20 kW•h pack. Top speed was 130 kilometre per hour. Plans were announced in 2008 to sell the i-MiEV in European markets as the Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-ZERO.
with a power output of 47 kW and torque output 180 N•m
. The vehicle uses a single-speed reduction gear transmission and has a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The car's top speed is 130 kilometre per hour.
Under its five-cycle testing, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
rated the American 2012 model year
Mitsubishi i with a combined fuel economy
equivalent
of 112 MPGe (2.1 L/100 km), with an equivalent 126 mpgU.S. (53.6 km/L) in city driving and 99 mpgU.S. (42.1 km/L) on highways. This rating allowed the 2012 Mitsubishi i to get a higher MPG-e rating than the 2011 Nissan Leaf
, which was rated at 99 MPGe (2.4 L/100 km) combined, but the Leaf rated a better range due to the Mitsubishi i's smaller battery pack.
In June 2011 Mitsubishi announced the introduction of lithium titanate
oxide SCiB battery technology for its two new models of electric vehicles, the i-MiEV and Minicab MiEV. The SCiB technology was developed by Toshiba
, which stated that its SCiB batteries can withstand 2.5 times more charge/discharge cycles than a typical lithium-ion battery. In addition, recharging via CHAdeMO
takes much less time than charging at the AC Level 2 rate used by most electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), allowing the SCiB battery to reach 80% capacity in 15 minutes, 50% in 10 minutes and 25% in 5 minutes. In terms of performance, the SCiB battery offers a higher effective capacity than a typical lithium-ion battery, which combined with more efficient regenerative charging during braking or coasting downhill, allows the SCiB battery to deliver 1.7 times the driving range per charge of a typical lithium-ion battery of the same size. Alternatively, the carmaker could install a smaller battery with less weight and keep the same range to contribute to lower the vehicle price as compared to lithium-ion batteries.
Emergency power supply
In the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
, Mitsubishi announced that the company decided to introduce one year ahead of schedule a device that enables the i-MiEV to supply power to home electric appliances in the event of a power outage or natural disaster
s. The device provides 100-volt outlets, converting the i-MiEV's direct current
(DC) battery power into 100 volts alternating current
(AC) to power up to 1,500 watts, which is enough to power most home electronics such as a basic rice cooker, a small heater, or any number of cellphones, laptops and radios. Mitsubishi estimates that the i-MiEV total battery capacity is enough to provide nearly 1.5 days of power to an average Japanese home. The device will be available by the end of 2011.
is 100 miles (160.9 km) on the Japanese test cycle. Two additional trim levels will be available in Japan beginning in late July 2011, the entry-level “M” with a 10.5 kWhbattery pack has a reduced range of 120 kilometres (74.6 mi), and the higher-level "G" with the same a 16.0 kWh battery as the original i-MiEV has a range of 180 kilometres (111.8 mi). The "G" trim will be available by mid August.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency
(EPA) official range for the 2012 model year
American "i" version is 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) based on the five-cycle tests using varying driving conditions and climate controls. Under the LA4 driving cycle for city conditions, EPA's rated range is 98 miles (157.7 km). According to the carmaker, the city range of the 2012 Mitsubishi i was improved as compared to the previous i-MiEV versions, through software upgrades and a revamped regenerative braking system.
The Australian Government's Green Vehicle Guide estimated the i-MiEV's range to be 155 kilometres (96.3 mi). Recharging is estimated to take 14 hours from a 110 volt power supply, 7 hours from a 220 volt power supply and as little as 30 minutes from a quick charging station
.
Euro NCAP also states that "accordingly, Euro NCAP believes that the star rating of the i-MiEV can also be applied to the Citroën C-Zero" because the agency was informed that the Citroën C-ZERO is structurally identical to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and has the same interior fitting and levels of safety equipment.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program
(ANCAP) rated the i-MiEV four out of five stars for crash safety, scoring 28.35 out of 37. This score takes into account the 10.95 out of 16 rating in the frontal offset crash test, and the score of 14.4 out of 16 received for the side impact test.
with GS Yuasa Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation
. Production was projected to increase to 9,000 units in its fiscal year 2010/11, and to 18,000 in the following twelve months.
Production of the left-hand drive European-spec i-MiEV began in October 2010. By the end of November 2010 cumulative production had reached 5,000 units at Mitsubitshi's Mizushima Plant. In May 2011 Mitsubishi announced a new production target of 25,000 i-MiEVs worldwide in fiscal year 2011. The carmaker also plans to export about 15,000 units overseas, mainly to Europe, where the company will promote sales to the European public sector, such as police departments and local governments. Production of the American-spec i electric car began in late October 2011. Worldwide sales since July 2009 reached around 16,000 i-MiEVs by October 2011. This figure includes 4,000 units rebadged and sold as Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-ZERO in France.
at the Melbourne International Motor Show, and afterwards was toured throughout the country. Beginning in mid 2009, Mitsubishi conducted a twelve month field trial with potential electric vehicle customers, such as local, state and federal government bodies, and major fleet operators.
Sales for fleet customers began in Australia in August 2010 under leasing agreement at a price of a month for 36 months, for a cumulative total of after which the car has to be returned to the dealer. The initial shipment included only 40 units, but Mitsubishi Motors Australia
reported that just before the launch it had received applications for more than 100 vehicles from private companies and government departments.
The City of Sydney
council received its i-MiEV in September 2010, as part of a six month trial, comparing energy consumption to gasoline
, diesel
and hybrid electric vehicle
s. The council has subsequently built 240 solar panels on Sydney Town Hall
to charge up to 17 electric vehicles at a time.
As of May 2011, a total of 110 vehicles have been leased to government and corporate fleets. Retail sales to the public are scheduled to begin in August 2011. Currently, there are no government incentive or rebate schemes for purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles in the country. The new Australian i-MiEV version will be similar to the European-spec model released in 2011, with minor changes such as new three-spoke alloy wheels, a few minor exterior tweaks including dark tinted headlights and a revised front bumper with fog lights. With an Australian Design Rules
approved range of 155 km (96.3 mi), the Australian-spec i-MiEV will be sold for ( as of July 2011) through specially equipped Mitsubishi dealerships (one in each capital city and two in Sydney). Mitsubishi anticipates 5 sales to the public per month.
and Quebec
. Mitsubishi will sell the international i-MiEV version in Canada, not the U.S.-only version, and two trims will be offered, standard and premium. The premium package price is and includes leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, 15-inch alloy wheels, premium audio system, HDD Navigation system, Bluetooth
2.0 hands-free cellular phone interface with streaming audio and USB input with voice control.
On January 14, 2009, in Canada, Hydro-Québec
and Mitsubishi signed an agreement to test 50 i-MiEV, the largest pilot test of electric cars in Canada. This test will also allow a better understanding of winter usage of the technology. BC-Hydro and Mitsubishi had previously tested a three-vehicle fleet in British Columbia
. The first five i-MiEVs were delivered in December 2010 and will be assigned to staff from the city of Boucherville.
On October 21, 2010, Transport Canada
and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada announced a partnership to test the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Transport Canada’s ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles (eTV) Program will test two i-MiEVs in government facilities and in a variety of real-world conditions. This program aim is to evaluate the i-MiEV road performance and range.
. Specific features of the European version include a new design to the front and rear bumpers to meet EU regulations, re-arranged center stack in the instrument panel, improved interior comfort and both active and passive safety features have been improved with the addition of Active Stability Control (ASC), as well as side and curtain airbags, all included as standard equipment. The European MiEV achieves an all-electric range
of 150 kilometres (93.2 mi) under the European NEDC
driving pattern.
Mass production
of the European i-MiEV began in October 2010 at Mitsubishi's Mizushima
plant, along with production of its siblings by PSA Peugeot Citroën
, the Peugeot iOn and the Citroën C-ZERO. In January 2011, Mitsubishi shipped 2,500 i-MiEVs from Japan and began sales in 15 countries: Austria
, Belgium
, Denmark
, France
, Germany
, Ireland
, Italy
, the Netherlands
, Norway
, Poland
, Portugal
, Spain
, Sweden
, Switzerland
, and the United Kingdom
, and further expand the European roll out through 2011. Mitsubishi is also running demonstration programs with the i-MiEV in the Principality of Monaco, Iceland
, and Denmark
.
The price of the European version will vary by country but will be set to around to ( to ). The carmaker is aiming for a final cost to the customer of under or equivalent after government incentives.
Estonia
On March 3, 2011, the government of Estonia
confirmed the sale to Mitsubishi Corporation
of 10 million carbon dioxide credits
in exchange for 507 i-MiEV electric cars. The deal also includes funding to build 250 express charging station
s in larger towns and main highways by 2013, and will subsidize the first 500 private buyers of any electric car approved by the European Union. The first 50 i-MiEVs were delivered in October 2011 and this official fleet will be assigned for use by municipal social workers. During the first round of allocations of the electric cars, municipalities requested only 336 of the 507 i-MiEVs available. Several local authorities have stated concerns about the electric car performance during harsh winter conditions, maintenance costs and the i-MiEV' reliability on difficult countryside roads.
France
During 2010 a total of 184 electric cars were registered in France, of which 30 Peugeot iOns, 27 were Citroen C-Zeros, and 8 i-MiEVs.
In April 2011 out of the 187 electric vehicles sold, 106 were Citroen C-Zeros, 76 Peugeot iOns, and two i-MiEVs, with 41 iOns purchased by a car sharing service in Nice
and 20 by a company in Lyon
. The increase in sales of plug-in electric cars was attributed to the termination of France's incentive of for vehicles powered by autogas
(LPG) and the availability of the government incentive
for purchasing vehicles with CO2 emissions of 50 gr/km or less. In September 2011, 62 Peugeot iOns and 39 Citroen C-Zeros were registered, out of a total 300 electric vehicles registered that month.
The C-Zero is available for rental starting at for half a day. The electric car is rented by the MultiCity vehicle rental service in selected French cities. The C-Zero is available in the Paris
region at six locations: the Gare Montparnasse
, Gare de Lyon
and Gare du Nord
train stations, Paris-Orly Airport, Porte Maillot
and Nanterre
.
In 2011 PSA Peugeot Citroen
was awarded a contract to supply 3,900 electric cars to the French Government, to be used by government officials in Paris.
Norway
Since deliveries began in early 2011, the i-MiEV became the best selling electric car in the country. From January to September 2011, a total of 1,425 electric cars were sold in Norway, of which, 804 were i-MiEVS, 151 were Citroen C-Zeros, and 140 Peugeot iOns, representing together 77% of all cars sold in that period.
Spain
Retail sales began in December 2010 and the i-MiEV price is before sales tax or any government incentives.
United Kingdom
In December 2009 Mitsubishi began an electric vehicle trial in the UK
with a fleet of 25 i-MiEVs. The i-MiEV demonstration is part of the project Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Vehicle Demonstrators (CABLED), which is running in the English Midlands
with a variety of vehicles including plug-in hybrids and the extended range electric Jaguar XJ
. In March 2010, the company reported that after the first three-month period the trial fleet ran an average of 23 miles (37 km) a day, have been parked 97% of the time, and most of the individual trips were under 5 miles (8 km). Another key finding in the test report is that the vehicles were driven in temperatures as low as -10 Celsius during the winter period, and it was observed a drop-off in usage during extremely cold weather, when only essential journeys are made.
In March 2010, Mitsubishi announced that the i-MiEV would be sold at a price of (~), but in August 2010 the company reduced the price to (~). Sales to the public in the U.K. began on January 2011, which coincided with the date the Plug-in Car Grant came into effect. Mitsubishi authorized 13 sales centres with two in London and the rest spread across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In April 2011 Hertz Rent-a-Car added two i-MiEVs to its fleet of vehicles in London and intends to add more across the UK later in 2011. The i-MiEVs are offered as rental vehicles to Connect by Hertz members and these electric cars will be supported by 16 Hertz-installed quick-charge stations located in and around London.
in late July 2009, after Mitsubishi's more than 40 years in development of electric vehicles. Initial price was set at . The Japanese government is offering subsidies of up to , and some local governments are also offering additional subsidies that could bring the price down to as low as . Mitsubishi reduced the price of the vehicle by to just below two days before it went for retail sales in Japan in April 2010 to compete with the Nissan Leaf
. As of early 2010 there were 60 charging station
s in Japan.
On June 2010 Mitsubishi Motors announced that is aiming to cut the price of its electric vehicles to by fiscal year 2012 to obtain price parity in the showrooms with hybrid electric vehicle
s. Mitsubishi is expecting that mass production of lithium ion batteries from its battery plant coming online in April 2012 will allow to reduced battery cost from its current to less than .
On March 2010, the company said it had received about 2,000 advance orders in Japan for the vehicle. Mitsubishi reported that it had sold about 3,000 units in Japan as of October 2010, and around 4,000 i-MiEVs by July 2011, two years after its introduction.
Two new trims levels will be available in the Japanese market in the second half of 2011. Beginning in July 25, the lower-level "M" trim will be sold for after the government subsidy. The "M" trim has a 10.5 kWh battery and its equipment and trim specification were adjusted to allow a more accessible price. The "M" trim range is 120 km (74.6 mi) on the JC08-cycle. The higher-level "G" trim will be available by mid-August at a price varing from to . The "G" trim has the same 16.0 kWh battery as the original i-MiEV, but the new trim realizes around a 20% increase in its single charge range on the J08-cycle, offering 180 km (111.8 mi). The "G" has LED headlamps and rear combination lamps, 15-inch alloy road wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob and other high-grade equipment, such as a navigation system and heated seats for the driver and front passenger as standard.
The U.S.-only version is enlarged, has redesigned front and rear bumpers, and includes more features than the Japanese and European versions in order to meet crash standards, government mandates, and the preferences of the U.S. consumers. The American version is 285 millimetres (11.2 in) longer than the Japanese version, 110 millimetres (4.3 in) wider, and slightly taller. It also has advanced airbag
s and the mandated tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS), an upgraded interior and features more accessories.
The entry-level ES trim starts at , the SE trim at , and the SE Premium version is priced at that includes DC fast charging, an HDD nav system and better entertainment and audio options. These prices do not include destination charge. For any of the models, the Cold Zone package, which includes a battery warming system and heated outside mirrors, is available for an extra . The reservation process for the U.S. began on April 22, 2011, and customers have to pay two deposits: for the car and for a required home inspection. The carmaker will waive the fee for the first 2,000 people who place an order and then buy the car. Mitsubishi is only accepting PayPal
as the method of payment for these online transactions. Mitsubishi began sending order confirmation emails and offering optional accesories by early September 2011.
The first i-MiEV demo units are scheduled to be available in November 2011, and sales are expected to begin in January 2012. The roll-out is scheduled to start in California
, Oregon
, Washington and Hawaii
, followed by the Northeast
, and nationwide availability by the end of 2012. On November 2010 Mitsubishi announced partnerships with Eaton
and Best Buy
for sales and home installation of recharging units
.
Chile
The i-MiEV was launched in May 2011 at a price of CLP
27,7 million . Initial availability is limited to 25 units. The first public quick charging station
in the country was opened in April 2011 in preparation for the arrival of the first i-MiEV electric cars.
Costa Rica
The i-MiEV was launched in February 2011 at a price of . Costa Rica does not have any government incentives for electric cars. According to Mitsubishi, Costa Rica was selected at the first market launch in the Americas due to its environmental record. Initial availability will be limited to 25 to 50 units. Sales are oriented to supply mainly fleet customers including government agencies and electric companies.
Hong Kong
On December 2009, the Hong Kong
Government and other corporation began testing the i-MiEV, totaling 30 vehicles tested until May 2010. Sales to the public in Hong Kong began in May 2010 at a price of (~).
New Zealand
Between January and March 2009 the i-MiEV was brought to New Zealand
as part of an electric vehicle trial, during which the i-MiEV travelled the entire country, testing infrastructure and demonstrating the vehicle to the public.
As of March 2011 there were 8 i-MiEV in use in Wellington
, as a field trial sponsored by the Wellington City Council, New Zealand Post
, Meridian Energy
, The Wellington Company and Mitsubishi Motors. Sales to the public are scheduled for July 2011 at a price of (~), and the number of units will be limited.
Russian Federation
The i-MiEV was launched in June 2011 at a price of (~).
Singapore
In November 2010 Mitsubishi signed an agreement with the Singaporean government to introduce electric vehicles in the country. Mitsubishi will supply 25 i-MiEVs in 2011 to the Economic Development Board
, the Energy Market Authority
and the Land Transport Authority
, which are part of a multi-agency EV task force. This agreement is part of a three-year test program that will deploy charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and evaluate the cost benefits of EVs for future adoption. The delivery of the first batch of 10 i-MiEV electric cars is scheduled for May 2011.
Thailand
In December 2010, Mitsubishi Motors and the government of Thailand agreed to start fleet testing electric vehicles for a possible launch of i-MiEV. In July 2011, a new agreement was signed to begin the trials with the participation of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and PEA ENCOM International (PEA), two of Thailand's electricity distribution companies.
Hatchback
A Hatchback is a car body style incorporating a shared passenger and cargo volume, with rearmost accessibility via a rear third or fifth door, typically a top-hinged liftgate—and features such as fold-down rear seats to enable flexibility within the shared passenger/cargo volume. As a two-box...
electric car
Electric car
An electric car is an automobile which is propelled by electric motor, using electrical energy stored in batteries or another energy storage device. Electric cars were popular in the late-19th century and early 20th century, until advances in internal combustion engine technology and mass...
produced by Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors
is a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...
, and is the electric version of the Mitsubishi i
Mitsubishi i
The is a kei car from Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors, first released in January 2006, twenty eight months after its debut at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show...
. According to the manufacturer, the i-MiEV all-electric range
All-electric range
All-electric range is the driving range of a vehicle using only power from its electric battery pack to traverse a given driving cycle. In the case of a battery electric vehicle, it means the total range per charge. For a plug-in hybrid , it means the range of the vehicle in charge-depleting mode...
is 100 miles (160.9 km) on the Japanese test cycle. The range for the 2012 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
American version, called "i" for this market, is 62 miles (99.8 km) on the US EPA
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
's cycle.
The i-MiEV was launched for fleet customers in Japan in July 2009, and on April 1, 2010, for the wider public. Retail sales began in the Japanese market at a price of (~). The electric car is eligible for government subsidies of , thus reducing the price to customers to (~). Sales to the public in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
began in May 2010 at a price of (~) and sales to fleet customers in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
began in August 2010 via leasing. Cumulative global sales since July 2009 reached around 16,000 i-MiEVs by October 2011, including 4,000 units rebadged and sold as Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-ZERO
Citroën C-ZERO
The Citroën C-Zero is a electric supermini/city car produced by Citroën. It was developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. Its sister will be marketed by Peugeot as the Peugeot iOn...
by September 2011.
The i-MiEV was launched in Germany in December 2010 at a price of (~). Sales in the U.K. began in January 2011 at a price of (~) before the Plug-in Car Grant. The i-MiEV was launched in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Costa Rica , officially the Republic of Costa Rica is a multilingual, multiethnic and multicultural country in Central America, bordered by Nicaragua to the north, Panama to the southeast, the Pacific Ocean to the west and the Caribbean Sea to the east....
in February 2011 and in Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
in May 2011. Sales in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
are scheduled for late 2011 and U.S. sales for January 2012. The American-only version, called "i", is larger than the Japanese version and has several additional features. Since November 2011 the 2012 model year American-spec i-MiEV ranks as the most fuel efficient EPA certified vehicle in the U.S. for all fuels ever.
History
Mitsubishi i-MiEV, based on the Mitsubishi iMitsubishi i
The is a kei car from Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors, first released in January 2006, twenty eight months after its debut at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show...
kei car
Kei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
, was first exhibited at the 22nd International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exposition in Yokohama.
Mitsubishi eschews the in-wheel motors (MIEV
MIEV
MIEV or MiEV is the name given by Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors to its alternative propulsion technologies....
) in favour of a more conventional array of batteries, motor and inverter
Inverter (electrical)
An inverter is an electrical device that converts direct current to alternating current ; the converted AC can be at any required voltage and frequency with the use of appropriate transformers, switching, and control circuits....
to replace the "rear midship
MR layout
In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. In contrast to the rear-engined RR layout, the center of mass of the engine is in front of the rear axle...
" engine and fuel tank of the conventional car. Mitsubishi Motors provided three power companies with vehicles in 2006 and 2007 in order to conduct joint research to evaluate how fast-charge infrastructure may be developed for EVs. Fleet testing by five power companies was conducted in 2007.
The car had a range of 130 kilometre for the 16 kW•h lithium-ion pack and 160 kilometre for the 20 kW•h pack. Top speed was 130 kilometre per hour. Plans were announced in 2008 to sell the i-MiEV in European markets as the Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-ZERO.
Powertrain
The production version of the 2009 i-MiEV has a single permanent magnet synchronous motor mounted on the rear axleAxle
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle...
with a power output of 47 kW and torque output 180 N•m
Newton metre
A newton metre is a unit of torque in the SI system. The symbolic form is N m or N·m, and sometimes hyphenated newton-metre...
. The vehicle uses a single-speed reduction gear transmission and has a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The car's top speed is 130 kilometre per hour.
Under its five-cycle testing, the United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
rated the American 2012 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
Mitsubishi i with a combined fuel economy
Fuel economy in automobiles
Fuel usage in automobiles refers to the fuel efficiency relationship between distance traveled by an automobile and the amount of fuel consumed....
equivalent
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent
Miles per gallon gasoline equivalent is a measure of the average distance traveled per unit of energy consumed. MPGe is used by the U.S...
of 112 MPGe (2.1 L/100 km), with an equivalent 126 mpgU.S. (53.6 km/L) in city driving and 99 mpgU.S. (42.1 km/L) on highways. This rating allowed the 2012 Mitsubishi i to get a higher MPG-e rating than the 2011 Nissan Leaf
Nissan Leaf
Nissan introduced its first battery electric vehicle, the Nissan Altra at the Los Angeles International Auto Show on 29 December 1997. The Altra EV was produced between 1998 and 2002, only about 200 vehicles were ever produced, and it was mainly used as a fleet vehicle for companies such as...
, which was rated at 99 MPGe (2.4 L/100 km) combined, but the Leaf rated a better range due to the Mitsubishi i's smaller battery pack.
Battery
The 16 kilowatt-hours (57,600,000 J) lithium-ion battery pack that consists of 88 cells is placed under the base floor. The pack has 22 cell modules connected in series at the nominal voltage of 330 V. There are two 4-cell modules placed vertically at the center of the pack and ten 8-cell modules placed horizontally. It is developed by Mitsubishi and GS Yuasa for both high specific energy and high rate discharge and manufactured by Lithium Energy Japan, a joint venture of GS Yuasa Corporation, Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. The entire pack has a specific energy of 80 Wh/kg.In June 2011 Mitsubishi announced the introduction of lithium titanate
Titanate
In chemistry, titanate usually refers to inorganic compounds composed of titanium oxides. In some cases, the term is used more generally for any titanium-containing anion, e.g. [TiCl6]2- and [Ti7]2-. This article focuses on the oxides....
oxide SCiB battery technology for its two new models of electric vehicles, the i-MiEV and Minicab MiEV. The SCiB technology was developed by Toshiba
Toshiba
is a multinational electronics and electrical equipment corporation headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. It is a diversified manufacturer and marketer of electrical products, spanning information & communications equipment and systems, Internet-based solutions and services, electronic components and...
, which stated that its SCiB batteries can withstand 2.5 times more charge/discharge cycles than a typical lithium-ion battery. In addition, recharging via CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO
CHAdeMO is the trade name of a quick charging method for battery electric vehicles delivering up to 62.5 kW of high-voltage direct current via a special electrical connector....
takes much less time than charging at the AC Level 2 rate used by most electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE), allowing the SCiB battery to reach 80% capacity in 15 minutes, 50% in 10 minutes and 25% in 5 minutes. In terms of performance, the SCiB battery offers a higher effective capacity than a typical lithium-ion battery, which combined with more efficient regenerative charging during braking or coasting downhill, allows the SCiB battery to deliver 1.7 times the driving range per charge of a typical lithium-ion battery of the same size. Alternatively, the carmaker could install a smaller battery with less weight and keep the same range to contribute to lower the vehicle price as compared to lithium-ion batteries.
Emergency power supply
In the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 earthquake off the Pacific coast of Tohoku, also known as the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, or the Great East Japan Earthquake, was a magnitude 9.0 undersea megathrust earthquake off the coast of Japan that occurred at 14:46 JST on Friday, 11 March 2011, with the epicenter approximately east...
, Mitsubishi announced that the company decided to introduce one year ahead of schedule a device that enables the i-MiEV to supply power to home electric appliances in the event of a power outage or natural disaster
Natural disaster
A natural disaster is the effect of a natural hazard . It leads to financial, environmental or human losses...
s. The device provides 100-volt outlets, converting the i-MiEV's direct current
Direct current
Direct current is the unidirectional flow of electric charge. Direct current is produced by such sources as batteries, thermocouples, solar cells, and commutator-type electric machines of the dynamo type. Direct current may flow in a conductor such as a wire, but can also flow through...
(DC) battery power into 100 volts alternating current
Alternating current
In alternating current the movement of electric charge periodically reverses direction. In direct current , the flow of electric charge is only in one direction....
(AC) to power up to 1,500 watts, which is enough to power most home electronics such as a basic rice cooker, a small heater, or any number of cellphones, laptops and radios. Mitsubishi estimates that the i-MiEV total battery capacity is enough to provide nearly 1.5 days of power to an average Japanese home. The device will be available by the end of 2011.
Range
The all-electric rangeAll-electric range
All-electric range is the driving range of a vehicle using only power from its electric battery pack to traverse a given driving cycle. In the case of a battery electric vehicle, it means the total range per charge. For a plug-in hybrid , it means the range of the vehicle in charge-depleting mode...
is 100 miles (160.9 km) on the Japanese test cycle. Two additional trim levels will be available in Japan beginning in late July 2011, the entry-level “M” with a 10.5 kWhbattery pack has a reduced range of 120 kilometres (74.6 mi), and the higher-level "G" with the same a 16.0 kWh battery as the original i-MiEV has a range of 180 kilometres (111.8 mi). The "G" trim will be available by mid August.
The United States Environmental Protection Agency
United States Environmental Protection Agency
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is an agency of the federal government of the United States charged with protecting human health and the environment, by writing and enforcing regulations based on laws passed by Congress...
(EPA) official range for the 2012 model year
Model year
The model year of a product is a number used worldwide, but with a high level of prominence in North America, to describe approximately when a product was produced, and indicates the coinciding base specification of that product....
American "i" version is 100 kilometres (62.1 mi) based on the five-cycle tests using varying driving conditions and climate controls. Under the LA4 driving cycle for city conditions, EPA's rated range is 98 miles (157.7 km). According to the carmaker, the city range of the 2012 Mitsubishi i was improved as compared to the previous i-MiEV versions, through software upgrades and a revamped regenerative braking system.
The Australian Government's Green Vehicle Guide estimated the i-MiEV's range to be 155 kilometres (96.3 mi). Recharging is estimated to take 14 hours from a 110 volt power supply, 7 hours from a 220 volt power supply and as little as 30 minutes from a quick charging station
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
.
Safety
The European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP) awarded the i-MiEV a four star car safety rating, earning the following ratings for each criteria. The tested model was a left hand drive 5-door hatchback registered in 2011:Euro NCAP also states that "accordingly, Euro NCAP believes that the star rating of the i-MiEV can also be applied to the Citroën C-Zero" because the agency was informed that the Citroën C-ZERO is structurally identical to the Mitsubishi i-MiEV and has the same interior fitting and levels of safety equipment.
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program
Australasian New Car Assessment Program
The Australasian New Car Assessment Program is an automobile organisation operated by the governments and motoring organisations of Australia and New Zealand to give consumers coherent results on the protection given by vehicles in front and side impact collisions...
(ANCAP) rated the i-MiEV four out of five stars for crash safety, scoring 28.35 out of 37. This score takes into account the 10.95 out of 16 rating in the frontal offset crash test, and the score of 14.4 out of 16 received for the side impact test.
Production
Full production of the i-MiEV started in July 2009 and Mitsubishi expected initial sales volume to be small, to sell up to 1,400 vehicles by March 2010, but expected sales to rise to 5,000 vehicles in the following twelve months, once retail sales had started. Mitsubishi decided to target sales to corporate customers in Japan at first to allow local governments and businesses to set up recharging stations around the country. The company said initial sales were constrained by production capacity but expects production to ramp up quickly from 2,000 units in 2009/10 to 30,000 vehicles within three years as it expands production of lithium-ion battery through Lithium Energy Japan, a joint ventureJoint venture
A joint venture is a business agreement in which parties agree to develop, for a finite time, a new entity and new assets by contributing equity. They exercise control over the enterprise and consequently share revenues, expenses and assets...
with GS Yuasa Corporation and Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi Corporation
is Japan's largest trading company , a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu. Mitsubishi Corporation employs over 50,000 people and has seven business segments including finance, banking, energy, machinery, chemicals, food and more....
. Production was projected to increase to 9,000 units in its fiscal year 2010/11, and to 18,000 in the following twelve months.
Production of the left-hand drive European-spec i-MiEV began in October 2010. By the end of November 2010 cumulative production had reached 5,000 units at Mitsubitshi's Mizushima Plant. In May 2011 Mitsubishi announced a new production target of 25,000 i-MiEVs worldwide in fiscal year 2011. The carmaker also plans to export about 15,000 units overseas, mainly to Europe, where the company will promote sales to the European public sector, such as police departments and local governments. Production of the American-spec i electric car began in late October 2011. Worldwide sales since July 2009 reached around 16,000 i-MiEVs by October 2011. This figure includes 4,000 units rebadged and sold as Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-ZERO in France.
Australia
During early 2009 the i-MiEV was exhibited in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
at the Melbourne International Motor Show, and afterwards was toured throughout the country. Beginning in mid 2009, Mitsubishi conducted a twelve month field trial with potential electric vehicle customers, such as local, state and federal government bodies, and major fleet operators.
Sales for fleet customers began in Australia in August 2010 under leasing agreement at a price of a month for 36 months, for a cumulative total of after which the car has to be returned to the dealer. The initial shipment included only 40 units, but Mitsubishi Motors Australia
Mitsubishi Motors Australia
Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited is a fully owned subsidiary of parent company Mitsubishi Motors Corporation of Japan. Its Australian administrative headquarters are located at Tonsley Park , with branch offices in Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth...
reported that just before the launch it had received applications for more than 100 vehicles from private companies and government departments.
The City of Sydney
City of Sydney
The City of Sydney is the Local Government Area covering the Sydney central business district and surrounding inner city suburbs of the greater metropolitan area of Sydney, Australia...
council received its i-MiEV in September 2010, as part of a six month trial, comparing energy consumption to gasoline
Gasoline
Gasoline , or petrol , is a toxic, translucent, petroleum-derived liquid that is primarily used as a fuel in internal combustion engines. It consists mostly of organic compounds obtained by the fractional distillation of petroleum, enhanced with a variety of additives. Some gasolines also contain...
, diesel
Diesel engine
A diesel engine is an internal combustion engine that uses the heat of compression to initiate ignition to burn the fuel, which is injected into the combustion chamber...
and hybrid electric vehicle
Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
s. The council has subsequently built 240 solar panels on Sydney Town Hall
Sydney Town Hall
The Sydney Town Hall is a landmark sandstone building located in the heart of Sydney. It stands opposite the Queen Victoria Building and alongside St Andrew's Cathedral...
to charge up to 17 electric vehicles at a time.
As of May 2011, a total of 110 vehicles have been leased to government and corporate fleets. Retail sales to the public are scheduled to begin in August 2011. Currently, there are no government incentive or rebate schemes for purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles in the country. The new Australian i-MiEV version will be similar to the European-spec model released in 2011, with minor changes such as new three-spoke alloy wheels, a few minor exterior tweaks including dark tinted headlights and a revised front bumper with fog lights. With an Australian Design Rules
Australian Design Rules
The Australian Design Rules are national Australian standards for vehicle safety, anti-theft system and emission standards. They have been acclaimed as less arbitrary than those of other countries, and successfully prevented the importation of many dangerous Japanese imports over the years...
approved range of 155 km (96.3 mi), the Australian-spec i-MiEV will be sold for ( as of July 2011) through specially equipped Mitsubishi dealerships (one in each capital city and two in Sydney). Mitsubishi anticipates 5 sales to the public per month.
Canada
The i-MiEV is scheduled for launch in Canada in December 2011 and pricing starts at before any government incentives available in OntarioOntario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
and Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
. Mitsubishi will sell the international i-MiEV version in Canada, not the U.S.-only version, and two trims will be offered, standard and premium. The premium package price is and includes leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, 15-inch alloy wheels, premium audio system, HDD Navigation system, Bluetooth
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a proprietary open wireless technology standard for exchanging data over short distances from fixed and mobile devices, creating personal area networks with high levels of security...
2.0 hands-free cellular phone interface with streaming audio and USB input with voice control.
On January 14, 2009, in Canada, Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec
Hydro-Québec is a government-owned public utility established in 1944 by the Government of Quebec. Based in Montreal, the company is in charge of the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity across Quebec....
and Mitsubishi signed an agreement to test 50 i-MiEV, the largest pilot test of electric cars in Canada. This test will also allow a better understanding of winter usage of the technology. BC-Hydro and Mitsubishi had previously tested a three-vehicle fleet in British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
. The first five i-MiEVs were delivered in December 2010 and will be assigned to staff from the city of Boucherville.
On October 21, 2010, Transport Canada
Transport Canada
Transport Canada is the department within the government of Canada which is responsible for developing regulations, policies and services of transportation in Canada. It is part of the Transportation, Infrastructure and Communities portfolio...
and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada announced a partnership to test the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Transport Canada’s ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles (eTV) Program will test two i-MiEVs in government facilities and in a variety of real-world conditions. This program aim is to evaluate the i-MiEV road performance and range.
Europe
The European version of the i-MiEV was introduced at the 2010 Paris Motor Show2010 Paris Motor Show
The 2010 Paris Motor Show took place from 2 October to 17 October 2010, in Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.For 2010, the theme of the special exhibition was "The Incredible Collection 2: automobile manufacturers collections and museums."- Production cars :...
. Specific features of the European version include a new design to the front and rear bumpers to meet EU regulations, re-arranged center stack in the instrument panel, improved interior comfort and both active and passive safety features have been improved with the addition of Active Stability Control (ASC), as well as side and curtain airbags, all included as standard equipment. The European MiEV achieves an all-electric range
All-electric range
All-electric range is the driving range of a vehicle using only power from its electric battery pack to traverse a given driving cycle. In the case of a battery electric vehicle, it means the total range per charge. For a plug-in hybrid , it means the range of the vehicle in charge-depleting mode...
of 150 kilometres (93.2 mi) under the European NEDC
New European Driving Cycle
The New European Driving Cycle is a driving cycle consisting of four repeated ECE-15 driving cycles and an Extra-Urban driving cycle . The NEDC is supposed to represent the typical usage of a car in Europe, and is used, among other things, to assess the emission levels of car engines...
driving pattern.
Mass production
Mass production
Mass production is the production of large amounts of standardized products, including and especially on assembly lines...
of the European i-MiEV began in October 2010 at Mitsubishi's Mizushima
Kurashiki, Okayama
is a historic city located to the west of Okayama Prefecture, Japan, sitting on the Takahashi River, on the coast of the Inland Sea.As of April 2010, the city has a population of 473,392. The total area is .-History:...
plant, along with production of its siblings by PSA Peugeot Citroën
PSA Peugeot Citroën
PSA Peugeot Citroën is a French manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot and Citroën marques. Headquartered in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, PSA is the second largest automaker based in Europe and the number eight in the world.-History:In December 1974 Peugeot S.A....
, the Peugeot iOn and the Citroën C-ZERO. In January 2011, Mitsubishi shipped 2,500 i-MiEVs from Japan and began sales in 15 countries: Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
, Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, Portugal
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, and further expand the European roll out through 2011. Mitsubishi is also running demonstration programs with the i-MiEV in the Principality of Monaco, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
, and Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
.
The price of the European version will vary by country but will be set to around to ( to ). The carmaker is aiming for a final cost to the customer of under or equivalent after government incentives.
Estonia
On March 3, 2011, the government of Estonia
Estonia
Estonia , officially the Republic of Estonia , is a state in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia , and to the east by Lake Peipsi and the Russian Federation . Across the Baltic Sea lies...
confirmed the sale to Mitsubishi Corporation
Mitsubishi Corporation
is Japan's largest trading company , a member of the Mitsubishi keiretsu. Mitsubishi Corporation employs over 50,000 people and has seven business segments including finance, banking, energy, machinery, chemicals, food and more....
of 10 million carbon dioxide credits
Assigned amount units
An Assigned Amount Unit is a tradable 'Kyoto unit' or 'carbon credit' representing an allowance to emit greenhouse gases comprising one metric tonne of carbon dioxide equivalents calculated using their Global Warming Potential....
in exchange for 507 i-MiEV electric cars. The deal also includes funding to build 250 express charging station
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
s in larger towns and main highways by 2013, and will subsidize the first 500 private buyers of any electric car approved by the European Union. The first 50 i-MiEVs were delivered in October 2011 and this official fleet will be assigned for use by municipal social workers. During the first round of allocations of the electric cars, municipalities requested only 336 of the 507 i-MiEVs available. Several local authorities have stated concerns about the electric car performance during harsh winter conditions, maintenance costs and the i-MiEV' reliability on difficult countryside roads.
France
During 2010 a total of 184 electric cars were registered in France, of which 30 Peugeot iOns, 27 were Citroen C-Zeros, and 8 i-MiEVs.
In April 2011 out of the 187 electric vehicles sold, 106 were Citroen C-Zeros, 76 Peugeot iOns, and two i-MiEVs, with 41 iOns purchased by a car sharing service in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
and 20 by a company in Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
. The increase in sales of plug-in electric cars was attributed to the termination of France's incentive of for vehicles powered by autogas
Autogas
Autogas is the common name for liquefied petroleum gas when it is used as a fuel in internal combustion engines in vehicles as well as in stationary applications such as generators. It is a mixture of propane and butane....
(LPG) and the availability of the government incentive
Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles
Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established by several national and local governments around the world as a financial incentive for consumers to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle....
for purchasing vehicles with CO2 emissions of 50 gr/km or less. In September 2011, 62 Peugeot iOns and 39 Citroen C-Zeros were registered, out of a total 300 electric vehicles registered that month.
The C-Zero is available for rental starting at for half a day. The electric car is rented by the MultiCity vehicle rental service in selected French cities. The C-Zero is available in the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
region at six locations: the Gare Montparnasse
Gare Montparnasse
Paris Montparnasse is one of the six large terminus railway stations of Paris, located in the Montparnasse area in the XIVe arrondissement. The station was opened in 1840, and rebuilt completely in 1969...
, Gare de Lyon
Gare de Lyon
Paris Lyon is one of the six large railway termini in Paris, France. It is the northern terminus of the Paris–Marseille railway. It is named after the city of Lyon, a stop for many long-distance trains departing here, most en route to the south of France. In general the station's SNCF services run...
and Gare du Nord
Gare du Nord
Paris Nord is one of the six large terminus railway stations of the SNCF mainline network for Paris, France. It offers connections with several urban transportation lines, including Paris Métro and RER...
train stations, Paris-Orly Airport, Porte Maillot
Porte Maillot
The Porte Maillot is one of the access points into Paris mentioned in 1860 and one of the ancient ancient city gates in the Thiers wall....
and Nanterre
Nanterre
Nanterre is a commune in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located west of the center of Paris.Nanterre is the capital of the Hauts-de-Seine department as well as the seat of the Arrondissement of Nanterre....
.
In 2011 PSA Peugeot Citroen
PSA Peugeot Citroën
PSA Peugeot Citroën is a French manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot and Citroën marques. Headquartered in the 16th arrondissement of Paris, PSA is the second largest automaker based in Europe and the number eight in the world.-History:In December 1974 Peugeot S.A....
was awarded a contract to supply 3,900 electric cars to the French Government, to be used by government officials in Paris.
Norway
Since deliveries began in early 2011, the i-MiEV became the best selling electric car in the country. From January to September 2011, a total of 1,425 electric cars were sold in Norway, of which, 804 were i-MiEVS, 151 were Citroen C-Zeros, and 140 Peugeot iOns, representing together 77% of all cars sold in that period.
Spain
Retail sales began in December 2010 and the i-MiEV price is before sales tax or any government incentives.
United Kingdom
In December 2009 Mitsubishi began an electric vehicle trial in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
with a fleet of 25 i-MiEVs. The i-MiEV demonstration is part of the project Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Vehicle Demonstrators (CABLED), which is running in the English Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
with a variety of vehicles including plug-in hybrids and the extended range electric Jaguar XJ
Jaguar XJ
Jaguar XJ is the designation that has been used for a series of luxury saloon cars sold under the British Jaguar marque. The first XJ was launched in 1968 and the designation has been used for successive Jaguar flagship models since then. The original model was the last Jaguar saloon to have had...
. In March 2010, the company reported that after the first three-month period the trial fleet ran an average of 23 miles (37 km) a day, have been parked 97% of the time, and most of the individual trips were under 5 miles (8 km). Another key finding in the test report is that the vehicles were driven in temperatures as low as -10 Celsius during the winter period, and it was observed a drop-off in usage during extremely cold weather, when only essential journeys are made.
In March 2010, Mitsubishi announced that the i-MiEV would be sold at a price of (~), but in August 2010 the company reduced the price to (~). Sales to the public in the U.K. began on January 2011, which coincided with the date the Plug-in Car Grant came into effect. Mitsubishi authorized 13 sales centres with two in London and the rest spread across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. In April 2011 Hertz Rent-a-Car added two i-MiEVs to its fleet of vehicles in London and intends to add more across the UK later in 2011. The i-MiEVs are offered as rental vehicles to Connect by Hertz members and these electric cars will be supported by 16 Hertz-installed quick-charge stations located in and around London.
Japan
The i-MiEV was launched for fleet customers in JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in late July 2009, after Mitsubishi's more than 40 years in development of electric vehicles. Initial price was set at . The Japanese government is offering subsidies of up to , and some local governments are also offering additional subsidies that could bring the price down to as low as . Mitsubishi reduced the price of the vehicle by to just below two days before it went for retail sales in Japan in April 2010 to compete with the Nissan Leaf
Nissan Leaf
Nissan introduced its first battery electric vehicle, the Nissan Altra at the Los Angeles International Auto Show on 29 December 1997. The Altra EV was produced between 1998 and 2002, only about 200 vehicles were ever produced, and it was mainly used as a fleet vehicle for companies such as...
. As of early 2010 there were 60 charging station
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
s in Japan.
On June 2010 Mitsubishi Motors announced that is aiming to cut the price of its electric vehicles to by fiscal year 2012 to obtain price parity in the showrooms with hybrid electric vehicle
Hybrid electric vehicle
A hybrid electric vehicle is a type of hybrid vehicle and electric vehicle which combines a conventional internal combustion engine propulsion system with an electric propulsion system. The presence of the electric powertrain is intended to achieve either better fuel economy than a conventional...
s. Mitsubishi is expecting that mass production of lithium ion batteries from its battery plant coming online in April 2012 will allow to reduced battery cost from its current to less than .
On March 2010, the company said it had received about 2,000 advance orders in Japan for the vehicle. Mitsubishi reported that it had sold about 3,000 units in Japan as of October 2010, and around 4,000 i-MiEVs by July 2011, two years after its introduction.
Two new trims levels will be available in the Japanese market in the second half of 2011. Beginning in July 25, the lower-level "M" trim will be sold for after the government subsidy. The "M" trim has a 10.5 kWh battery and its equipment and trim specification were adjusted to allow a more accessible price. The "M" trim range is 120 km (74.6 mi) on the JC08-cycle. The higher-level "G" trim will be available by mid-August at a price varing from to . The "G" trim has the same 16.0 kWh battery as the original i-MiEV, but the new trim realizes around a 20% increase in its single charge range on the J08-cycle, offering 180 km (111.8 mi). The "G" has LED headlamps and rear combination lamps, 15-inch alloy road wheels, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shifter knob and other high-grade equipment, such as a navigation system and heated seats for the driver and front passenger as standard.
United States
Sales of the i-MiEV in the U.S. are scheduled to begin in January 2012. Mitsubishi initially announced a base price of , but on September raised the base price to plus the destination charge and prior to the federal tax credit and other incentives available in California and other states. The American version of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV was unveiled at the November 2010 Los Angeles Auto Show. During the LA show several sources reported that Mitsubishi decided to drop the "MiEV" from the name and the US version will be named simply as "i electric vehicle".The U.S.-only version is enlarged, has redesigned front and rear bumpers, and includes more features than the Japanese and European versions in order to meet crash standards, government mandates, and the preferences of the U.S. consumers. The American version is 285 millimetres (11.2 in) longer than the Japanese version, 110 millimetres (4.3 in) wider, and slightly taller. It also has advanced airbag
Airbag
An Airbag is a vehicle safety device. It is an occupant restraint consisting of a flexible envelope designed to inflate rapidly during an automobile collision, to prevent occupants from striking interior objects such as the steering wheel or a window...
s and the mandated tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS), an upgraded interior and features more accessories.
The entry-level ES trim starts at , the SE trim at , and the SE Premium version is priced at that includes DC fast charging, an HDD nav system and better entertainment and audio options. These prices do not include destination charge. For any of the models, the Cold Zone package, which includes a battery warming system and heated outside mirrors, is available for an extra . The reservation process for the U.S. began on April 22, 2011, and customers have to pay two deposits: for the car and for a required home inspection. The carmaker will waive the fee for the first 2,000 people who place an order and then buy the car. Mitsubishi is only accepting PayPal
PayPal
PayPal is an American-based global e-commerce business allowing payments and money transfers to be made through the Internet. Online money transfers serve as electronic alternatives to paying with traditional paper methods, such as checks and money orders....
as the method of payment for these online transactions. Mitsubishi began sending order confirmation emails and offering optional accesories by early September 2011.
The first i-MiEV demo units are scheduled to be available in November 2011, and sales are expected to begin in January 2012. The roll-out is scheduled to start in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Washington and Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, followed by the Northeast
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States is a region of the United States as defined by the United States Census Bureau.-Composition:The region comprises nine states: the New England states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont; and the Mid-Atlantic states of New...
, and nationwide availability by the end of 2012. On November 2010 Mitsubishi announced partnerships with Eaton
Eaton Corporation
Eaton Corporation is a global diversified power management company with 2010 sales of $13.7 billion. The company is a leading provider of electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution and control; hydraulics components, systems and services for industrial and mobile equipment;...
and Best Buy
Best Buy
Best Buy Co., Inc. is an American specialty retailer of consumer electronics in the United States, accounting for 19% of the market. It also operates in Mexico, Canada & China. The company's subsidiaries include Geek Squad, CinemaNow, Magnolia Audio Video, Pacific Sales, and, in Canada operates...
for sales and home installation of recharging units
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
.
Other countries
| Mitsubishi i-MiEV sales price by market (without any government tax credits or grants Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles Government incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established by several national and local governments around the world as a financial incentive for consumers to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle.... ) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Country | |Equivalent US$(1) | |Launched/ scheduled |
|
| Apr 2010 | |||
 Hong Kong |
May 2010 | ||
| (2) | (2011) |
Jul 2010 | |
(2012) |
Aug 2011 | ||
| Dec 2010 | |||
| Dec 2010 | |||
| Jan 2011 | |||
| ¢ Costa Rican colón The colón is the currency of Costa Rica. The plural is colones in Spanish, but English speakers often say colons instead. The ISO 4217 code is CRC.... 30.5 million |
Feb 2011 | ||
| CLP Chilean peso The peso is the currency of Chile. The current peso has circulated since 1975, with a previous version circulating between 1817 and 1960. The symbol used locally for it is $. The ISO 4217 code for the present peso is CLP. It is subdivided into 100 centavos, although no centavo denominated coins... 27.7 million |
May 2011 | ||
| June 2011 | |||
| Jul 2011 | |||
| Dec 2011 | |||
| Jan 2012 | |||
| Notes (1): Exchange rates as of June 22, 2011. (2) The 2011 i-MiEV is available for leasing only, at a price of /month during 36 months totaling . Retail sales only for the 2012 i-MiEV |
|||
Chile
The i-MiEV was launched in May 2011 at a price of CLP
Chilean peso
The peso is the currency of Chile. The current peso has circulated since 1975, with a previous version circulating between 1817 and 1960. The symbol used locally for it is $. The ISO 4217 code for the present peso is CLP. It is subdivided into 100 centavos, although no centavo denominated coins...
27,7 million . Initial availability is limited to 25 units. The first public quick charging station
Charging station
An electric vehicle charging station, also called EV charging station, electric recharging point, charging point and EVSE , is an element in an infrastructure that supplies electric energy for the recharging of electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric-gasoline vehicles) or semi-static and mobile...
in the country was opened in April 2011 in preparation for the arrival of the first i-MiEV electric cars.
Costa Rica
The i-MiEV was launched in February 2011 at a price of . Costa Rica does not have any government incentives for electric cars. According to Mitsubishi, Costa Rica was selected at the first market launch in the Americas due to its environmental record. Initial availability will be limited to 25 to 50 units. Sales are oriented to supply mainly fleet customers including government agencies and electric companies.
Hong Kong
On December 2009, the Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
Government and other corporation began testing the i-MiEV, totaling 30 vehicles tested until May 2010. Sales to the public in Hong Kong began in May 2010 at a price of (~).
New Zealand
Between January and March 2009 the i-MiEV was brought to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
as part of an electric vehicle trial, during which the i-MiEV travelled the entire country, testing infrastructure and demonstrating the vehicle to the public.
As of March 2011 there were 8 i-MiEV in use in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, as a field trial sponsored by the Wellington City Council, New Zealand Post
New Zealand Post
New Zealand Post, commonly referred by its acronym, NZPost is a State owned enterprise responsible for providing postal service in New Zealand.-History:...
, Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy
Meridian Energy Limited is a New Zealand state-owned electricity generator and retailer. The company generates the largest proportion of New Zealand's electricity, generating 32 percent of the country's electricity in the year ending 31 December 2009, and is the fourth-equal largest retailer, with...
, The Wellington Company and Mitsubishi Motors. Sales to the public are scheduled for July 2011 at a price of (~), and the number of units will be limited.
Russian Federation
The i-MiEV was launched in June 2011 at a price of (~).
Singapore
In November 2010 Mitsubishi signed an agreement with the Singaporean government to introduce electric vehicles in the country. Mitsubishi will supply 25 i-MiEVs in 2011 to the Economic Development Board
Economic Development Board
-Overview:The Economic Development Board is a statutory board of the Government of Singapore that plans and executes strategies to sustain Singapore as a leading global hub for business and investment....
, the Energy Market Authority
Energy Market Authority
The Energy Market Authority is a a statutory board under the Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry of Singapore. The EMA's main goals are to promote effective competition in the energy market, ensure a reliable and secure energy supply, and develop a dynamic energy sector in...
and the Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Singapore Government.-History:...
, which are part of a multi-agency EV task force. This agreement is part of a three-year test program that will deploy charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and evaluate the cost benefits of EVs for future adoption. The delivery of the first batch of 10 i-MiEV electric cars is scheduled for May 2011.
Thailand
In December 2010, Mitsubishi Motors and the government of Thailand agreed to start fleet testing electric vehicles for a possible launch of i-MiEV. In July 2011, a new agreement was signed to begin the trials with the participation of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and PEA ENCOM International (PEA), two of Thailand's electricity distribution companies.
Awards and recognition
- "2009 Japan Automotive Hall of Fame Car Technology of the Year" award in October 2009.
- "Japanese Car of the Year Most Advanced Technology" awarded during the 41st Tokyo Motor ShowTokyo Motor ShowThe is a biennial auto show held in October-November at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association , it is a recognized international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs...
in October 2009. - "Ecobest 2009" by AUTOBEST in January 2010.
- "Environment Special Grand Prize" awarded during the 25th International Automobile Festival, ParisParisParis is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, FranceFranceThe French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on February 2010. - The i-MiEV was one of the five finalists to the 2011 Green Car Vision AwardGreen Car Vision AwardThe Green Car Vision Award is an annual award granted by the Green Car Journal. In contrast with its Green Car of the Year award, which only considers production vehicles that make the most significant environmental advancements, the Green Car Vision Award considers pre-production vehicles with...
. - The 2012 model year American-spec i-MiEV was one of the five finalists for the 2012 Green Car of the YearGreen Car of the YearThe Green Car of the Year is an award from the Green Car Journal.The winner is selected by an 11-member panel comprising automotive and environmental experts...
. - The 2012 model year American-spec i-MiEV ranks first in EPA’s Annual Fuel Economy Guide, and since November 2011 ranks as the most efficient EPA certified vehicle in the U.S. for all fuels ever.
See also
- Government incentives for plug-in electric vehiclesGovernment incentives for plug-in electric vehiclesGovernment incentives for plug-in electric vehicles have been established by several national and local governments around the world as a financial incentive for consumers to purchase a plug-in electric vehicle....
- List of battery electric vehicles
- List of modern production plug-in electric vehicles
- MIEVMIEVMIEV or MiEV is the name given by Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors to its alternative propulsion technologies....
- Mitsubishi In-wheel motor electric vehicle - Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEVMitsubishi Concept PX-MiEVThe Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV is a prototype plug-in hybrid crossover utility vehicle, first exhibited at the Tokyo Motor Show in September 2009. It uses a 1.6 litre gasoline engine as a powerplant and generator for two 30 kW electric motors, one on each axle...
(plug-in hybrid) - Mitsubishi iMitsubishi iThe is a kei car from Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors, first released in January 2006, twenty eight months after its debut at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show...
- Gasoline powered version of the car