Mitsubishi's all-electric i MiEV may arrive earlier than expected

iMiEV Sport
The last time I wrote about Mitsubishi's upcoming electric vehicle, the i MiEV, we were discussing just how bullish the automaker is on this EV. Still, all that enthusiasm was telling us that the i MiEV would come to dealers in 2010. Now, Automotive News' Kathy Jackson reports (subs req'd) that the i MiEV's release date in Japan might be moved up to 2009, with 1,000 vehicles possibly ready for sale at €17,000 ($24,800US) that year. This possible change comes courtesy of Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko, so let's not discount it quickly. He told Jackson that "We are making preparations at the moment to accelerate" the on-sale date. As previously mentioned, the i MiEV will come to Europe and possibly the U.S. after its Japan debut. Bullish, indeed. A car like this can't come soon enough.
Related:
- The Sun drives the Mitsubishi MiEV and finds it acceptable
- CAR likes the Mitsubishi i-EV even better than the gas version
- Mitsubishi iMiEV gets 20-30 percent more range from new battery
- Tokyo Preview: More official pictures of Mitsubishi's i-MiEV sport
- Mitsubishi's i-EV moving towards production, available perhaps in 2008
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
toast2042 4:00PM (11/14/2007)
A highway-ready, all-electric car for only $25,000? Yes, please :D
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Dave 3:33PM (11/14/2007)
This is good news. Are they taking orders yet? I know, Americans will have to wait until after 2009, but it's a nice thought.
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Domenick 6:48PM (11/14/2007)
Kathy Jackson? Heck, I mentioned this date in a comment of another i-Miev article two weeks ago.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2007/10/29/why-mitsubishi-is-so-bullish-on-the-i-miev/#comments
Of course, I didn't have the price...
Also, the car pictured in this article is NOT the i-Miev that will be on sale, but the I-Miev Sport, which is still, unfortunately, a concept vehicle.
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kert 5:44AM (11/15/2007)
Presumably, the one they are talking about commercializing can be seen in action here:
http://youtube.com/results?search_query=miev
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