| The Mitsubishi Company is a conglomerate of | | | | individuals testing the car. |
| independent outfits united together under the | | | | The iMiev lists good performance specs, with a |
| same brand. The Company has an interesting | | | | 16kWh Li-Ion battery pack boosting the car to an |
| history, starting out as a shipping concern in 1870. | | | | 80mph/130kph and a top speed for a range of |
| Then they moved into mining, shipbuilding, banking, | | | | 75 miles (130km). The car is light by western |
| insurance, warehousing, trade, paper, steel, glass, | | | | standards at around 2,068 lbs/ 940 kg empty. |
| electrical equipment, aircraft, oil, and real estate. | | | | Note that the 16kWh of battery storage |
| The company made the famous Japanese Zero | | | | translates to the energy equivalent of |
| during WW2. The Zero was formidable in combat | | | | approximately one half a US gallon of gasoline! |
| from Wake Island to Kamakazie raids on aircraft | | | | In the looks department, the wheels of the car |
| carriers. | | | | are designed to be as close as possible to the |
| After the war, Mitsubishi began ventures into | | | | very corners of the car. This plus a rather wide |
| petrochemical and nuclear areas. The company is | | | | expanse of front glass gives the car a somewhat |
| now the largest Japanese trading company with | | | | unique appearance. |
| 200 firms in 80 countries and over 50,000 | | | | Some of the more critical comments regarding |
| workers. EVs are under serious development in | | | | iMiev performance centered on range issues. It |
| Japan | | | | appears that in cold weather, the published range |
| For the record, The Japan Electric Vehicle Club | | | | value of drops quite a bit. This issue may be |
| has just set a world distance record for an | | | | addressed mode definitively with the results of a |
| electric car on one full charge. 17 drivers | | | | 50 vehicle Canadian field trial by Hydro-Quebec. |
| completed 1,456 laps on an oval track in Ibaraki | | | | An iMiev recently tested in for one week in |
| Shimotsuma. The speed was 40 km/h (25mph), | | | | Tokyo met with positive results, and an |
| the car a converted Daihatsu Mira. The EV total | | | | interesting comment regarding the state of EV |
| distance added up to an amazing 1003km (623 | | | | development in that area. As the batteries |
| mi). | | | | reached empty, an onboard navigation system |
| The iMiev is the latest of a series of electric cars | | | | provided locations of close by quick chargers. The |
| developed since the company began investigation | | | | Japanese government is aiding in developing a |
| into the technology in the 1970s. The iMiev began | | | | national infrastructure of so called "eco stations". |
| life as a converted 2005 Dodge Colt with 2-in | | | | Tokyo already has a bunch of fast charge points |
| wheel electric motors for power. After several | | | | installed. |
| variations of the in wheel design, the iMiev as is | | | | The car is for sale in Japan for around $40,000 |
| today was developed in 2006. | | | | (USD), $50,000 (USD) in Hong Kong (50 only |
| The car was first produced in 2009. It is one of | | | | available) and a bit more in the UK. The cars are |
| the first of a new wave of electric cars on the | | | | not yet on sale in the USA. |
| market. Utility companies and other agencies have | | | | So far, around 1,500 iMiev's have been marketed |
| been field testing the Miev platform since 2007. | | | | in 2010. Production numbers for 2010 have been |
| Results have not generally been made public. | | | | estimated at 5,000 units. |
| However, there are reviews available from | | | | |