Test driving the Mitsubishi iMiev today!

having talked with Leaf Owners who have driven the MiEV, they state different. the MiEV is more efficient but Nissan with a pack 50% larger does have more range.

EPA ratings state as such. and speaking of which. EPA states a range of 73 miles which is a bit low in "some" driving conditions.

granted severe cold weather will lower the range (just like any other car) but in "normal" weather, i see 75-90 miles in normal driving, over 100 if mainly doing city driving.

 

Comparatively speaking, the i Miev cannot hold a candle to the Leaf in just about every aspect. This would not be that big of a deal IMO except that the i Miev is in the $30K range ($35K reasonably equipped) and at this price appears to be competing with the Leaf. IMO the i Miev is the epitome of corporate welfare. If Mitsubishi were serious about EVs, this thing would be priced as the stripped down utility vehicle that it is. And again- comparatively speaking- that would be no more than $30K completely loaded including TT&L.

 

i went to a local dealer, they said they have no lease programs for this car. they could only sale it to me for $32k ($500 off sticker) at 0% for around $570ish mo at 60mo

 

I suppose it is a matter of opinion, but I couldn't disagree with you more. The i is more efficient. It is easier to get in and out of. It has a better battery (although perhaps smaller). It's a highly efficient city car. The LEAF tries to make you think it is a family sedan,...NOT. So it has a glitzy dashboard. I'd rather save the $7500 and go with the i.

 

When will it sink in that the batteries are expensive?
No manufacturer has released their actual cost for an EV's traction battery. For a ~70 mile range, it is in the $12k to $15k range.

The Nissan Versa sedan S is the only 4 seater stripper available on the market. For $10,900 you don't get power locks and windows, remote entry, intermintent wipers, or MP3/WMA playback over your 2 speakers. The SV is closer to the iMiEV in standard feature content. It starts at $14,980. Around the price of any other comparatively equipped compact.

Until battery costs come down, $30k is going to be the lowest a BEV car with the lowest amount of features acceptable to the majority of buyers will be priced for.

 

Sorry guys. As a modified plugin Prius AND Leaf owner (not to mention EV enthusiast) who "was" seriously looking at the iMiev as a 2nd commuter car until I actually test drove one, I see a $10K golf cart with a $15K battery array. Sure, it is cute enough on the outside IMO, but the interior was a real letdown to the point of being insulting. No wonder they don't spend a lot of camera time on it in their brochures. I know that some people are into the "much, much less is more" look, but I haven't been since it was to be expected (back sometime in the 80's I would say). Nissan, on the other hand, managed to introduce a platform EV that came equipped and drove like a car priced $30K+ over a year ago. If iMiev is the best that Mitsubishi has to offer, assuming it isn't just another compliance car, they have a lot of catching up to do.

Yes, batteries are relatively expensive and will be for some time, but that doesn't let the manufacturer off the hook for lower standards throughout the rest of the build.

 

The i Miev is starting to hit the UK second hand market now. The first 2 years or so after release were lease only deals and now these leases have expired the cars are now being sold on by the dealers. The prices are good. They are a third the price new (before the £5,000 EV incentive) and are less than half the price of a new Leaf or between £4,000 and £6,000 less than the cheapest second hand Leaf I've seen.

They all seem to have low mileages and in another year will be cheaper still and definitely worth a punt.

Sure they're horridly small but it depends on your priorities; here parking is a premium and small is good. Virtually every household has a city car for their second car for good reason.

 

NEVs are priced in the $10k to $13k range. I'd guess the batteries cost $2000 max. So we have a $8000 golf cart sans battery.

Do you believe that the difference between the cost of a batteryless NEV and your estimation of the iMiEV's batteryless value would cover:
A motor capable of hauling a heavier vehicle at highway speeds
A suspension system that can handle the higher speeds
A drive train with multiple modes
Minimum federal safety standards(iMiEV exceeds them)
Air conditioning
Heating
Upgraded charger for the larger battery
Regenerative braking
Power steering
CD player radio with MP3/WMA playback and 4 speakers
Power windows and locks with remote entry
Heck, you probably have to get doors

The absolute cheapest, real, new car that can be bought is a Versa Sedan. It starts at over $10k, and has less features than the iMiEV. Part of the reason it is so cheap is that it made in far larger numbers than most EVs, and uses parts, like the engine, that have long ago paid off their R&D costs. It likely has a cheaper feeling interior too.

Cars with equivalent features start at $15k. I haven't been in any of these new cars, but the 2006 HHR I now drive probably has a cheaper interior than the iMiEV. Your value estimation of a car is a legitimate reason to use for individual buying decisions, but it isn't an objective measurement of the car's production costs.

 

Batteries aren't that expensive. Tesla is RETAILING 70 miles worth of range for $10000. Their cost has to be less. Smart's US$ equivalent for their European program is much less.

How many kwh is Mitsubishi's battery?

 

16kWh.

Green Car Congress: The Battery Pack for Mitsubishis i MiEV

 

Using Tesla's rate that is $18000 worth of batteries.

Smart's Fortwo has a 17.6 kWh battery that sells for 4770 euros (Production of Third-Gen Smart Fortwo Electric Drive Now Underway | PluginCars.com). An 86 mile range & top speed of 75mph looks to be in the same class.

With 4 production EVs on sale 2012/2013 looks promising.

 

We test drove a Miev a couple of weeks ago. We enjoyed it.
My biggest deciding factor between it and a Leaf (if I were buying one), would be, does the Miev have an active battery management system. Interior selections are nice, but the batteries are the heart of an EV.

Edit- NM, looks like it is more similar to a passive cooling system. Would have to wait a couple years to see some real world data.

 

The amount was quoted from Ford's Mulally. Ford isn't going for nationwide roll out with the Focus EV, and likely not seeing a price reduction for large scale production. $500 to $600 per kwh seems to be what car companies have released to the press.

Tesla charges $10k per 70 miles extra range. It isn't the same amount of additional battery. It's +20kwh and then +25kwh. I don't think Tesla is making much more profit on the larger packs over the entry level one.

The i-MiEV is using a different chemistry than the other manufacturers. It has higher energy density, quicker fast charge times, and longer charge/discharge cycle life. And likely costs more.
Mitsubishi Chooses Toshiba SCiB Battery for i-MiEV - AutoObserver

I think $15k is the high end of what the pack costs. Even if less, $30k seems a fair price for entry level BEVs at this time. To get closer to an ICE car in price, you are going to have to accept battery leasing.

With the lithium titanate battery chemistry, an active battery management system doesn't seem to be needed. They don't heat up as much during charging and seem to have a lower minimum temperature. The Leaf got a battery heater because its cells electrolyte could potentially freeze.

 

Cool,thanks for the information. Looking forward to seeing how it performs after a couple of years.