Mitsubishi announces partnership with utilities to test electric i MiEV in the U.S.
08/08/2008, 8:32 AM
By paulee
Japan-based Mitsubishi announced on Thursday it would partner with utility companies Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric Co. to test its i MiEV electric car in California. The automaker has already performed similar tests with seven utility companies in Japan in the last two years and plans to start selling the car there in the summer of 2009.
With the partnerships, Mitsubishi will learn about the limitations of its product and tailor solutions and applications its drivers will be able to follow in order to get the most out of the car. The range is still unknown, but like most electric vehicles, likely wouldn’t be suitable for long road trips but daily commuting instead. The four-seat i MiEV also needs over half a day to recharge its batteries while plugged into a regular electric plug at home.
The two utilities will help Mitsubishi develop an infrastructure to help drivers charge the car at dedicated “filling” stations. Southern California Edison is already working with Ford on a similar project based on the Ford Escape flex-fuel hybrid.
The i MiEV is based on Mitsubishi’s i, which uses a small gasoline engine as its powerplant. The electric car makes use of lithium-ion batteries developed by Mitsubishi Motors, GS Yuasa Corp. and Mitsubishi Corp.
08/08, 12:31 PM
posted by:
beatusmongous
This looks like they took a Smart and added a back seat, and then took it to the beauty parlor to get a manicure – hence the nail polish all over it. Yet for some reason, I kind of like the looks of this thing. I’d be interested in this car as a daily driver, but I’d like to see the interior first. Interior would make it or break it for me.
But why can’t they test these cars somewhere other than California? Heck, if it can survive the desert heat of Las Vegas or Phoenix, it can survive just about anything. They should test a couple here, a couple in Phoenix, and then send some to cold places like Alberta and Alaska. The ultimate tests of batteries are extreme heat and extreme cold, which doesn’t exist in Southern California. Heck, our car batteries are lucky to survive three years.
08/09, 1:46 AM
posted by:
JoshyLofty
i agree with you 100% but i am excited about this car. cars like this in looks make me think that cars of the future will look like this. cars like in Demolition Man (with sandra bullock, etc) come to life…