Topic: June 4, 2009. A day when mass EV production officialy started. First iMiEV

[EV Dan]

http://www.nni.nikkei.co.jp/e/fr/tnks/Nni20090604DA4J6041.htm

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/06/04/mitsubishi-launches-production-of-the-imiev/

Mitsubishi launched series production of its iMiEV electric car today at its Okayama, Japan factory. Mitsubishi is the first of the major automakers to kick off full scale production of a new EV and will be followed by most other automakers over the next two years. The automaker plans to build about 2,000 units through the remainder of this fiscal year and then crank that up to 5,000 next year. The first cars are going to corporate fleet customers but retail sales are expected to start later in the year.

The iMiEV has a range of about 100 miles from its lithium ion battery pack. The batteries are produced by a joint venture between Mitsubishi and GS Yuasa. With the government incentives available in Japan, the iMiEV will cost about $31,300 at current exchange rates which is a bit higher than the $27,000 price previously rumored. No decision has been made yet on when the car will be offered in the U.S. market, but we do know it will make its way here sometime. First, Mitsubishi needs to develop a production left-hand drive version.

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Hard to believe. Who would have thought that among the mighty Toyota, Honda and Nissan who seem to control the market nowadays there will be a car maker who nobody had heard of not so long ago in Canada, Mitsubishi is now to become the first serious player in the big $$$ game to dominate the EV production. Kudos, guys!

P.S. For what it offers the price is very reasonable. Remember, how in electronics or computers the first DVD players cost hundreds if not thousands of dollars and now a grocery store sells them for $25 a piece. It is already a great price and with time it will only go down while battery tech is bound to improve.

[Shnak]

When I can buy a new plug-in electric car for $12k, I'll have one in my driveway. Until then, too expensive.

[EV Dan]

I'm not gonna be waiting that long because of the price. When you count in how much you spend on gas, oil changes, brakes, and other 'essentials' of an ICE car, suddenly the initial price tag doesn't sound all that bad. I dont think they will have a problem selling them here, but if they do there is always an option of leasing the battery at comparable to the cost of gas price.
The battery range is still not quite there, but is reasonable if the infrastructure is in place. Until then, great second car for runabouts.
Remember the size of a 10 year old cell phone and how long it worked from a charge? I think thats how long it will take EVs to become the only logical choice for a new car purchase.

[EV Dan]

Update. Mievs to take over Europe, starting in UK.



"The electric vehicle revolution has started - the first production examples of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV have arrived in the UK.

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV is the first production electric city car made by a mainstream manufacturer; we've tested the i-MiEV and we're pleased to report that it's excellent to drive.

The multi award-winning i-MiEV is a real car that seats 4 adults, with room for luggage. It has a top speed of 81 mph, a range of 100 miles and can be trickle charged from flat to full in 6 hours at any UK three-pin socket - and it only costs 96p for a full charge.

The i-MiEV, on sale in Japan since July this year, has been a sell-out success.  The 1,400 units allocated by Mitsubishi for the 2009 Japanese market have all been taken, and 900 orders have already been placed in Japan from the 2010 build allocation.

European production will begin in October 2010 with left hand drive i-MiEV's available in markets across Continental Europe towards the end of the year.

The first 25 full production all-electric Mitsubishi i-MiEVs which have arrived at Bristol's Royal Portbury Docks are destined to hit the road on December 12th 2009 as part of a West Midlands based government trial.

The cars are taking part in one of the Government's Ultra Low Carbon Vehicle Demonstrator projects, run by the Technology Strategy Board. Through an extensive selection process, members of the public have been selected by consortium partner, Coventry University, to trial the cars for 12 months allowing analysis of driving and charging behaviour.

The West Midlands CABLED (Coventry and Birmingham Low Emission Demonstrators) consortium combines the expertise of Arup - design and engineering consultant and project leader, power provider E.ON, the city councils of Birmingham and Coventry, three academic institutions, and five other car manufacturers, and is supported by Advantage West Midlands.

The i-MiEV's left Japan by boat six weeks ago and their progress has been followed via Mitsubishi Motors UK's i-MiEV Facebook fan page."

http://www.green-car-guide.com/articles/881/1/Electric-Mitsubishi-i-MiEV-arrives-in-UK/Page1.html

[rrocket]

Cool...but way, way too expensive.

[tpl]

If those numbers of between $27k and $31K are usd   then I could go out and buy a new  TDI for that and cruise around in a proper car at 50 mpg which for my 10000 miles a year is about $200 worth of diesel at current prices.

I just do not want to drive around in a golf cart while there are real internal combustion engines available.

[EV Dan]

Cool...but way, way too expensive.

It feels expensive for its size, even after various subsidies, but it is still in limited release. If or when Mitsu makes them in quantities planned say for the Leaf, the price will inevitably come down, which cannot be said of any electric out there since not all of those makers have joint battery ventures. Would I buy I Miev today? Only if the battery pack is fully warrantied, and there is a fixed price Mitsu will buy it back in 3-5 years or exchange for a better one. Public charging spots would be welcome too.

[safristi]

..WOT were ya DOIN' on June 4th 2009................... .............................blasting my AIR CON by DAY and the FURNACE by NIGHT............................

[EV Dan]

http://www.canadiandriver.com/2010/08/18/electric-mitsubishi-begins-cross-canada-tour.htm

Electric Mitsubishi begins cross-Canada tour

St. John’s, Newfoundland – An electric Mitsubishi car, the i-MiEV, has left Signal Hill in Newfoundland for the start of a 28-day, 7,500-km journey across Canada.

Koji Soga, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada, and Shawn Skinner (both pictured), Minister of the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development for the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, unplugged the car and sent it on its journey yesterday.

“Built on the proven i-car platform, the i-MiEV is full of innovation and has proven itself as a no-compromise urban vehicle,” Soga said. “This is the first of many steps to introduce Mitsubishi’s technology and the i-MiEV to Canadians. We expect to learn valuable lessons about the performance of electric vehicle operation in Canada. The i-MiEV has been on sale in Japan for over a year now, and has performed beyond customers’ expectations.”

The i-MiEV will be sold in select Canadian cities, beginning in the fall of 2011. It uses a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack located under the vehicle floor, and can be charged on 110 volts, 220 volts, or a quick charge that charges the batteries to approximately 80 per cent in 30 minutes.

The event, called the Clean Across Canada tour, will end in Victoria. The car will then be taken to the Electric Vehicle 2010 Conference and Trade Show in Vancouver on September 13. To follow the tour, visit Clean Across Canada.

http://www.cleanacrosscanada.ca/

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Kewl. Around August 26 it should be in Toronto 

[Ice]

I'm anticipating that, as with most technologies, the price will go down and the range will steadily increase. I know there is great skepticism with electric vehicles but you really do have to start somewhere.  They are practical enough now to sell to the mass market... it's still a niche product for now.  But that may not be the case in a decade or two.

[EV Dan]

I'm anticipating that, as with most technologies, the price will go down and the range will steadily increase. I know there is great skepticism with electric vehicles but you really do have to start somewhere.  They are practical enough now to sell to the mass market... it's still a niche product for now.  But that may not be the case in a decade or two.

You bet!

see my last post here:

http://www.canadiandriver.com/forum/index.php/topic,58912.180.html

[DKaz]

For a second car, this would be great. Even as the only car it'd be great... rent an SUV to go on road trips.