Excitement is building as the first 25 full production all-electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV’s arrive at Bristol’s Royal Portbury Docks. Final preparation has already begun before the cars hit the road on December 12th 2009 as part of a West Midlands based government trial.
The i-MiEV’s left Japan by boat six weeks ago and their arrival has been eagerly awaited, especially by the end users and everyone following their progress via Mitsubishi Motors UK’s i-MiEV Facebook fan page.
i-MiEV – Leading The Market
The multi award winning Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a fully electric city car and the first real-life EV with zero tailpipe emissions made available by a mainstream manufacturer. It's a genuine car, ensuring no compromise in cabin space, seating 4 adults and 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.
An Early Sales Triumph
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 flown out the door and an impressive 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.
Real-World Trials
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.
Japan's Panasonic Corp said on Thursday it has developed a technology that binds together standard lithium-ion battery cells used in laptop PCs to power electric vehicles, taking aim at growing...read more
Ford is introducing a new high series addition to its Mondeo line-up powered by ECOnetic technologies – the Mondeo Titanium 2.0 115PS TDCi with 139g/km CO 2 emissions.Targeting...read more
The Fiat Punto Evo, the evolution of the Grande Punto, will make its debut at the next Frankfurt Motor Show. It is destined to repeat the success of its predecessor and...read more
The global movement towards increasingly larger cities is connected with growing demands for transport solutions. At the same time, authorities are demanding substantial gases and emission reductions...read more
Renault Twizy ZE Concept is an innovative response to the challenge of urban mobility. With its four wheel chassis, Renault Twizy ZE Concept offers the driver and passenger – seated...read more
"They will see something beautiful in you."Advertising Agency: Leo Burnett Costa Rica / Executive Creative Director: Douglas Castro / Creative Director / Copywriter: David Carvajal / Art...read more
Starting January 2010, the new Opel Corsa ecoFLEX is more respectful of the environment and fun to drive than ever. It is powered by a sophisticated, 70 kW/95 hp 1.3 CDTI diesel...read more
Production versions of three new highly-efficient additions to the BlueMotion range have been uncovered ahead of the Frankfurt Motor Show. The new Polo, Golf and Passat...read more
Kia Optima Hybrid is a mid-size sedan introduced at the 2014 Chicago Auto Show. The 2014 Optima Hybrid high-class improvements include a front and rear fascia intended to increase aerodynamic...read more
The Renault Zoe ZE Concept demonstrates that an all-electric zero-emission car can still be stylish. The Zoe ZE Concept is equipped with technology that extends the vehicle's range...read more
