Mitsubishi reveals ‘i’ electric vehicle,production start in 2012

Why try and make a bigger model for the US market? Why not release the original model (adjusting bumpers etc) - and yes it is small but it would still attract some sales and then release a bigger model later.

 

I sat in an engineering model of the i MiEV. The car had surprising pull to it. I sat in the back (there was unsuprisingly enough room for me, kind of like in my Evolution). Can't say anything about handling, as I haven't gotten to drive one.

 

Kinda lame they had to tag the "i" in the name. How original.

 

The base gas-powered car, sold in Japan since 2006 is called the "i". Not the iCar or some crap Apple branding.

[ame=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_i]Mitsubishi i - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia[/ame]

 

In my eyes, Apple started this whole "i", "my", "we" prefix phenomenon. The iMac came out in '98 and Apple hasn't looked back since.

 

A Bigger Jellybean
...It looks pretty similar to the Japanese version, except that it's
bigger; it's almost a foot longer, in good part thanks to the new
bumpers, 4.3 inches wider, and a tiny bit taller.treehugger

It has been said that on average, Americans have fatter as...
oh, lets just say have greater girth than is typical elsewhere.
Uhh... but just to be on the safe side, maybe not so for
Canadians.

I like the original styling much better... a little cutie.
For both, it's shape makes a statement, just like the Prius does,
that there is something new and different happening here. For
that reason, I'll take the new styling over the LEAF's blandness.
(With the exception of the front license plate location, which
gives the impression of a hair lip.)

Hey Ma! Looky here! I got me one a' them 'lectric cars!

 

But people around the world are all becoming a little more, erm, horizontally challenged but the 'i' is still a niche, but good seller.

The thing that baffles me reading this forum is that many posters complain the US doesn't get the cars or the fuel economy of cars sold elsewhere in the world, yet as soon as these are offered they complain they're too small, too slow etc.

Was it not in the late 1960's, early 1970's that Japanese and German cars were first popular in the US because of their superb fuel economy and reliability, yet now these US market cars have bigger engines and worse fuel economy of the same models sold elsewhere. I guess its the manufacturers talking to focus groups "hey I love this cute Jap/VW car but if only it were a little bigger and a little faster..." and sure enough a few years down the line its bloated and less effiecient and goes against the original reason it was popular in the first place.

And then they forget that their car was popular because of its reliability and decide to open a factory in Mexico because they can make twice as many cars for half the cost of making them in Germany. Trouble is too many costs are cut and they end up with a poor reputation for quality and lots of unsold cars.

Am I the only one to see this? Should Japanese cars be efficient (Toyota & Honda seem to get it mostly right) and reliable and VW's should be made in Germany and sold in lower numbers, but knowing that they'll be reliable again?

Or have I been having too many beers in preparation of the New Year celebrations?

 

Still looks like an egg on wheels!

 

I think they need to realise that electric cars (or for that matter hybrids) need not necessarily look any different. Optimisation yes, but weirdness is a turnoff, so to speak

 

Another turnoff with this car is the safety:
Mitsubishi i-MiEV | Euro NCAP - For safer cars crash test safety rating

It seem like this old car from 2006 could have used some more attention to the structural integrity when they changed the drive train. Would you drive a small car on the American roads that doesn't meet the standard of modern safety?

 

well EuroNCAP said that it is commendable and that it shows that small EVs do not have to be unsafe... 4 stars is not bad under latest testing, for small, affordable yet heavy vehicle.

 

I would disagree with you Spwolf. A small car shouldn't be a compromise - even on the latest, stricter NCAP test.

My girlfriend bought the Toyota IQ last year and despite being tiny it still managed a 5 star result and gained a 91% rating for the driver compared to 73% with the Mitsubishi!

Toyota iQ | Euro NCAP - For safer cars crash test safety rating

 

Looks absolutely ridiculous, absurd in the extreme. Is that actually a production vehicle?

Anyway, Mitsubishi sells less cars in their entire lineup than the Prius alone in North America. The are basically irrelevant in the north american market and a goofy little electric won't change it for them, I'm afraid.

 

While I'll agree with you, they're sure going to try:
Mitsubishi to ditch the Evo for EVs - Confidential

 

It looks one step away from a utility truck you'd see driven by a maintenance person on a campus. It just screams out 'I'm a toy car!'. Maybe it will actually get 100 miles range since it's so small. Yuck.

 

With Suburbans and Escalades around here? No way.