Mitsubishi i News

Mitsubishi Unveils Blackout-Inspired i-MiEV power BOX

Eric Loveday — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:10:47 +0000

Mitsubishi's power BOX turns the electric i-MiEV into a mobile electricity-generating unit.

Mitsubishi hopes to soon transform its electric i-MiEV into a mobile generator.

Mitsubishi Motors will soon offer the power BOX as an option to i-MiEV owners over in Japan. The MiEV power BOX is a compact white box that plugs into the i-MiEV's quick-charge outlet. The power BOX then pulls electricity from the vehicle's 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack and converts from DC to AC. Up to 1,500 watts of juice flow through the power BOX, making it capable of powering multiple electric appliances for "five to six hours," according to Mitsubsihi.

Mitsubishi will offer the power BOX through dealers in Japan for 149,800 yen ($1,788 US at today's exchange rate). The power BOX will officially launch in Japan on April 27. Mitsubishi has not said if the portable electric unit will make its way to the US.

Mitsubishi i Electric Vehicles Arrive on East Coast

Brad Berman — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:01:32 +0000

The first batch of Mitsubishi i electric vehicles are now on their way to dealerships throughout the eastern US.

In Sea Change, Electric Cars Top Greenest Vehicle List

Brad Berman — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 17:47:06 +0000

Mitsubishi i electric car

The American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy today announced that the Mitsubishi i electric car was rated the greenest car in its 14th annual environmental rankings of cars and trucks. The small EV unseated the Honda Civic Natural Gas car, which held the top spot in ACEEE’s green car rankings for the past eight years—and represents a sea change in green car technology. In this year’s rankings, the all-electric Nissan LEAF came in second place. This year's impressive showing for electric cars likely establishes future dominance for EVs in green rankings from ACEEE and other organizations.

The Challenge for Plug-In Cars

Michael Coates — Mon, 06 Feb 2012 19:48:33 +0000

The automotive landscape is changing. More choices are coming and that promises to be the watchword for the coming decade. Buying a new car will no longer be: What engine do you want? What model do you want? What options to you want?

The options will be the focal point of choice. And the options will be the type of powertrain and fuel you choose for your new ride. I took a tour in January through some of those choices and came away with a new appreciation of the challenge that plug-in vehicles are facing and will continue to face in the marketplace.

The event was called "Future Cars: Future Technology"; it was organized by Western Automotive Journalists, a 20-year-old group of auto writers (and photographers and videographers) based in Northern California. During the day, panelists discussed the long-range future of automotive technology--one panel talked about whether automated cars like the ones Google is running are likely to take over our highways; a second panel of engineers from the auto companies explored the variety of options they were researching for future cars.

Is There Demand for Three Mitsubishi Electric Vehicles?

Eric Loveday — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 02:12:44 +0000

Mitsubishi execs confirm a 2013 launch of all-electric Mirage compact.

Mitsubishi is reported to be bumping up the nationwide roll-out of its all-electric i minicar based on high demand—but Autodata informed PluginCars.com that the total number of i sales reported by the company in November was only four units. The Mitsubishi i officially launched in the US in November, with sales currently limited to West Coast states and Hawaii. December will be the first full month of retails sales for the i.

The company conducted its very first fleet delivery of the 2012 Mitsubishi i to the Bay Area's City CarShare in a special ceremony in front of San Francisco City Hall Plaza on Dec. 8.

Nissan LEAF, Fisker Karma, Mitsubishi i Contenders for 2012 Motor Trend Car of the Year

Eric Loveday — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 16:43:51 +0000

Nissan LEAF contends for Motor Trend's 2012 Car of the Year title.

Production of Mitsubishi i Officially Underway

Eric Loveday — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 17:13:53 +0000

Mitsubishi kicks off production of the U.S.-spec Mitsubishi i.

Mitsubishi Motors has officially started production of the North American version of its i-MiEV electric vehicle. The North American version, known as the Mitsubishi i, will first be available in Hawaii, California, Washington and Oregon by the end of November 2011. After that, Mitsubishi aims to expand sales throughout the United States and Canada by the end of fiscal year 2012.

The EPA rates the Mitsubishi i with a range of 62 miles and a combined 112 MPGe figure. The $29,125 Mitsubishi i hatchback will likely be the most affordable electric vehicle in the US. To date, Mitsubishi's cumulative i-MiEV global production volume has exceeded 16,000 units. By adding the US and Canada, the Japanese automakers looks to expand its worldwide market for electric cars.

Hawaii Teacher of the Year Awarded Free Mitsubishi i

Eric Loveday — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 17:16:31 +0000

Hawaii Teacher of the Year receives free Mitsubishi i.

Mitsubishi Launches Solar-Powered Charging at North American Headquarters

Alysha Webb — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 18:23:04 +0000

On July 7, Mitsubishi Motors North America launched a solar-powered recharging station at its headquarters in Cypress, CA.

“This is not an academic test project,” said MMNA president Yoichi Yokozawa at the ceremony. “It can be ordered for public production.”

The station includes two 110-volt charging ports, one 220-volt port, and one CHAdeMO quick charger. It will be open to the general public for use free of charge during MMNA business hours, and can be used by any compatible EV. The “i”, as the i-MiEV is now known in the U.S., can be 80% recharged in 25 minutes on the CHAdeMO charger, said Yokozawa. A 20-minute charge is good for about 43 miles, he said.

Minnesota EV Group Hosts Region's First Major Electric Car Expo

Jukka Kukkonen — Thu, 19 May 2011 05:33:28 +0000

Minnesota has not been known as a hotbed of EV activity in the past, but things are starting to move forward here. A fairly new and fast growing public/private partnership, Drive Electric Minnesota, has over 20 organizational/business members including Xcel Energy, GE, and Best Buy, and we are getting more membership requests every month. When it comes to nationwide EV availability, the Midwest is considered to be a second-tier market, but even if we won’t be the first ones to get the vehicles, we are working hard to move things in the right direction to make Minnesota “EV ready.”