i-MiEV press information
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A word from the i-MiEV Product Executive
The i-MiEV is Mitsubishi Motors' ultimate eco-car and one that it brings to market as a symbol of the company's environmental efforts toward a sustainable coexistence with our planet and its bountiful natural resources, with society at large and with our fellow man.
Development of the i-MiEV concept started five years ago as we discussed among ourselves what actually constituted the "ultimate eco-car." After lengthy and searching debate the conclusion we reached was i-MiEV, an electric vehicle which satisfies the following exacting requirements: that it produce clean, nonpolluting emissions; that it produce minimal CO2 emissions and so help reduce global warming; and that it make minimal use of our finite supply of oil resources.
Driven 100-percent by electrical power the i-MiEV is a zero-emissions vehicle. That means drive-time CO2 emissions *1 are zero. Also the i-MiEV can save some 600 liters of gasoline a year. As such we are confident that the i-MiEV personifies the "Driving the earth; living with the earth" ideals which define Mitsubishi Motors' Drive@earth corporate tagline.
As we began development of the i-MiEV in earnest we were faced with the challenge of installing a battery large enough to give the car a practical cruising range while also providing as much interior space as possible. Fortunately we were blessed with the "i" minicar which we could use as a base. Despite its compact body size the "i" is characterized by a very long wheelbase. The space this provided allowed us to install a large number of battery cells in what is a very compact car. The power source we have employed is a compact and high-performance lithium-ion battery system recently developed for the i-MiEV by Lithium Energy Japan (LEJ), a joint venture established in December 2008 by GS Yuasa, Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors. Incorporating advanced technologies this battery system gives the i-MiEV a Japanese 10-15 mode driving pattern range of 160 km*2 and has allowed us to overcome our biggest challenge.
The other major asset at our disposal was the wealth of EV technology and know-how we had developed over the space of 40 years since we began our research in the field in the mid-1960s. All of that technology and know-how has gone into the development of the i-MiEV. The i-MiEV sailed through stringent development programs that included extensive poor surface track, durability and reliability and crashworthiness testing, a testament to the i-MiEV's superb vehicular performance. We have recently completed a year-long joint proving program working with seven Japanese power companies and using 32 i-MiEV prototypes. Through this comprehensive program that saw the i-MiEV cover a total of 300,000 km of testing and everyday commercial use we have received invaluable feedback from our partners and have been encouraged by their praise of its basic vehicular performance, comfort and practical utility.
It is my fervent hope that as many of our customers as possible will experience and get to know the i-MiEV's appeal and charm as seen in its ultimate environmental performance that is complemented by quiet, smooth and powerful response to the accelerator pedal.
The i-MiEV can also be driven using power generated by solar panels fitted to a roof on a house. No longer just a dream this is now well on its way to becoming a reality. We are confident that the i-MiEV will be a trailblazer on the path toward the low-carbon society the world is aiming for and will be a vehicle seen on our roads for the next 100 years. As a company we will continue to work to build up and establish a "Mitsubishi for EVs" brand image and to contribute to society as a leading manufacturer of EVs.
*1: The i-MiEV's total CO2 emissions, when CO2 emissions produced in the generation of electrical power are included, are approximately one-third those of a gasoline-powered vehicle of similar size and power.
*2: 10-15 mode power consumption figures are measured under test conditions as laid down in relevant laws and ordinances. In actual driving, power consumption will vary depending on weather conditions, road congestion and on how the driver operates the vehicle (use of accelerator, climate control system, etc.)
