iMiEV gets the star treatment in three more videos
Mitsubishi must be enjoying seeing how much attention the all-electric iMiEV is getting. We've seen Helen Clark, the prime minister of New Zealand, take a ride in Tokyo, an HD view of the car on iTunes, and a video of the car driving in the mountains of Japan. These are just the beginning, as frequent tipster Yanquetino has found three more for our viewing pleasure.
First, a test drive by Popular Mechanics, which looks like it was filmed in New York City, probably during the auto show in March. In this clip we learn that the car uses 47 kWh when in main drive mode and 18 kWh in economy mode. Second, MSN Autos drives the car and shows just how much space is available in the rear (something we discovered when we drove the iMiEV in NYC). Will all your friends be calling you to come by with the iMiEV when they want to move? No, but if you've got to carry a chair or two around town, the iMiEV is able to do so. Lastly, a clip on YouTube from Japan where the host get a ride on a test track and the iMiEV races an ICE-powered i down the strip (guess who wins). While Yanquetino says he thinks the show might be designed for teenagers, this is just how TV shows are in Japan. The YouTube segment is the only one that's embeddable, and it's available after the jump.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
hodad66 7:32PM (5/18/2008)
GET THEM OVER HERE!!!!!!
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Yanquetino 9:13PM (5/18/2008)
I was pleasantly surprised to see how much room there is in the back of the iMiEV when the rear seatbacks are folded flat. And the fact that it has 'D'rive (47 kWh), 'E'conomy (18 kWh), and 'B'raking (stronger regen) modes is impressive.
I sure wish I could understand Japanese in the YouTube clip. I can pretty well guess that the young host searches for a non-existent tailpipe, is awestruck with how quiet the car is, and a little wide-eyed at its acceleration both off-the-line and at passing speeds. However, I would also very much like to know what she is explaining when they compare the iMiEV's AC motor (on the right) to another, larger, finned one (on the left). Perhaps an older DC iteration? You engineers will have to enlighten us. Finally, I noted that the same orange-colored hoses that cool the motor are also apparently connected to the battery pack underneath the vehicle. Makes sense with lithium!
I see that there are now well over 1400 signatures on the iMiEV petition. Not too shabby, given that it has only been up-and-running for a couple of months:
http://www.PetitionOnline.com/iMiEV/petition.html
I hope it keeps growing to convince Mitsubishi that we really do want this car in North America --and the sooner the better!
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Chris M 9:57PM (5/18/2008)
Yanquetino: I don't understand Japanese, either, but I did recognize that the motor comparison was between the compact lightweight motor for the MiEV, and a standard industrial AC motor, probably the same horsepower.
Those "orange hoses" are the high voltage cables that run power from the batteries to the controller to the motor. That is the standard high voltage warning color used for all hybrids and most EVs.
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ivor 11:45PM (5/18/2008)
Cheater plug compatible too!
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Domenick Yoney 11:43PM (5/18/2008)
The big motor with the fins is a 10 year old design that produces the same power as the newer, smaller one now in the "denki jidousha" (electric car) iMiEV.
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Yanquetino 1:28AM (5/19/2008)
Chris M and Domenick: Thanks for clearing up the technical details! Now that I think about it, using orange for power cables makes sense. I was fooled by the fact that there were several of them attached to the motor itself, mistakenly thinking that you'd only need one, or maybe two (positive and negative) for the electricity.
Yeah, ivor, I noticed that groundless adaptor as well. She even plugged it in upside down, which suggests that the two remaining prongs are the same size. Kinda odd, huh?
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kafuka2002 3:50AM (5/19/2008)
i dislike jappense car,but it's swift and smart,attracked by the exterior appearance,i just think so..
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Pablo 2:30PM (5/19/2008)
A white iMIEV sport for me please!! I don't need the spacious back end or four doors. I'll take the AWD and more power instead.
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phoerest 1:01AM (5/20/2008)
I soo want one..!
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