Mitsubishi iMiEV to be priced around $37,000 at launch
We got word a couple of days ago that Mitsubishi had pulled ahead its retail sales plans for the iMiEV electric car from 2010 to mid 2009. Now we have some information about the pricing for the diminutive electric car. The little four seater will reportedly carry a sticker price in its home market of about 4 million yen or US$37,496. That would put it in a similar range to the expected price of the Chevy Volt which will hit the market a year later. Tax breaks for low emission cars in Japan should chop the end price by about one quarter to somewhere around $28,000. Now if Mitsubishi would just bring the iMiEV to the US market it would satisfy a lot of American fans.
[Source: Trading Markets]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Joce03 8:05AM (7/14/2008)
I'm glad that Mistubishi is moving forward to sell these, but prices have got to go down. Everyone should be able to buy an electric vehicle.
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Dave 11:10AM (7/14/2008)
Joce,
I'll bet they sell all of these without slashing the price at all... People, we live in a capitalistic society. As much as I'd love to buy 3 Roadsters, I just can't afford to...
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Chad 12:00PM (7/14/2008)
Agreed. I think I will just buy a chevy cobalt for $13K. $24,500 will buy a hell of a lot of gas. I plan on buying an electric car some day, but not until they cost under $20K.
Mihael 9:06AM (7/14/2008)
Way too expensive for such an ugly vehicle. I know that the look should not matter but lets face it, the way a car looks is still a very important part of why people choose one car over another. Most will not be able to afford it and many who can will not want to.
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giyad 9:46AM (7/14/2008)
not only that, but its definitely not the safest of cars... looks like i could pick that thing up!
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CanaDoc 4:11PM (7/14/2008)
Safety: Please, not this again. Safety is ALWAYS relative. But I guarantee Mistu made this car as crash-safe as any other car in the micro car segment.
Chad 9:48AM (7/14/2008)
That's ridiculous. The gas version of that car costs like $10K! If you subtract the gas engine and other unneeded car parts the cost is more like $7K. Are you telling me that an electric motor and a 16Kw battery (the same size battery as the volt) cost $30K?!?
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JeffS 9:32PM (7/15/2008)
The motor & batteries cost $30K? - well it could be depending on how many units they expect to sell. The early production has to pay back the development costs and new cars in the US put a burden on car makers to obtain certification that adds to the issue.
This is an early adopter's model that only its mother could love - I don't think they'll sell that many unless they lower the price. But maybe the planned US subsidy ($7k) is adequate to make it worth floating the model in case a price cut will make a market.
We expect the cost of batteries to come down over time like flat panel displays - I paid $1k for a 15" Dell in 2000 that's inconceivable today. (It was great!).
DJL 4:08PM (7/14/2008)
I'd say the motor, transmission, and motor controller should cost about $11,000, like this one which was used in Solectria Geo Metros:
http://www.electroauto.com/catalog/price-pts.shtml
The Volt battery pack is expected to cost more than $10,000. Mitsubishi may not have that economy of scale. Nearly $20,000 would not surprise me.
Look at the cost of the Tesla for a better idea of the price of battery electric conversion.
John 10:24AM (7/14/2008)
The RD on the drivetrain and battery development is what is making this car so expensive. The cost will come down as production ramps up in Japan. On the other hand the Volt will probably be about the same price? Either way I am buying one when the i-MiEV become available here in USA. Or I am buying a Volt - Which ever I can get FIRST. Are you taking notes Mitsu Marketing people? This car might save Mitsu Motors just like the Volt might save GM. Or will I buy a plug in Prius? Only time will tell . . . .
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Chad 12:04PM (7/14/2008)
I know about the cost of R&D, I was just venting because Mitsubishi had previously said that the iMIEV would cost about $25,000.
Yanquetino 12:20PM (7/14/2008)
I would gladly pay the full price for one of these --right NOW! By the way, the ICE version of the "i" does NOT cost $10K: it goes for nearly double that in the U.K. And it doesn't surprise me in the least that the EV components might raise the price $17K more --since Tesla claims it would currently cost $20K to replace their battery pack.
I confess that I have a very hard time understanding those who balk at this projected price for a highway-capable, fully functional, four-passenger EV. It is fairly reasonable, all things considered. After all, used RAV4-EVs sell for nearly twice their original price on eBay!
Would they rather waste their money on gasoline instead? Knowing that they are enriching medieval "drug" pushers who abuse women and subsidize anti-Western terrorism? And what about the planet? It can just go to Hades in a handbasket? Who cares what kind of world they leave for their grandkids if it pinches their wallet?
Why do they even read AutoblogGreen? It's not AutoblogGreenbacks. Gotta be sockpuppets from the oil industry.
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Chad 1:34PM (7/14/2008)
You can't take UK prices and directly convert the currency to US prices. The price of cars in the UK is vastly inflated. The Japanese price is $10K US, look it up.
wave54 2:16PM (7/14/2008)
Agree with Chad -- UK pricing doesn't translate for the US.
The ICE version lists for $9987-$14,037 for 2WD models. Used the following webpage and a currency converter:
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.co.jp/i/lineup/index.html
Chad 4:54PM (7/14/2008)
Yes the i car costs about $10K pounds ($20K USD) in Britain and when the iMIEV comes to your shores it will probably cost $25K pounds ($50K USD) instead of the $19K pounds ($37,450 USD) you think it will cost.
Chad 5:08PM (7/14/2008)
"Tesla claims it would currently cost $20K to replace their battery pack."
That is because the Tesla battery pack is 53 Kw and the iMiEV battery pack is only 16 Kw. 3.3 times smaller!
Let's see according to your claim of $20K USD (not the actual amount by the way, it's more)
$20,000 USD divided by 3.3 = $6060 USD
Tim 12:26PM (7/14/2008)
According to DOT’s research:
78% of ALL trips are less than 40 miles
85% are less than 50 miles
90% are less than 60miles
93% are less than 70 miles!
http://www.gm-volt.com/2007/12/06/how-did-gm-determine-that-78-of-commuters-drive-less-than-40-miles-per-day/
You can convert your own donor car to a BEV-60 for around $12K. Add another $1,500 for fresh paint, new upholstery and tires. You have a "like new" electric car for your daily commuting and it won't look like this rolling turd.
You can keep an old gas car for those occasional long trips. Better yet, rent one or ride with someone else.
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CanaDoc 4:04PM (7/14/2008)
DIY: yep, you could... but show me a homebrew with A/C, power steering, stereo... ok, now how about airbags, heated seats, traction control and a WARRANTY?
Ugly: no accounting for taste. It's certainly not uglier than a Yaris or Prius and Toyota can't keep them on the lot.
Sasparilla 12:35PM (7/14/2008)
The first gen electric vehicles are going to be expensive and will require "rebates" (like the US government has/had for current hybrids) to gain traction in the marketplace and gain economies of scale. As their production numbers go up and 2nd/3rd gen vehicles follow their prices will come down closer to ICE vehicles. Keep in mind the equivalent gas price for electric fillup is about $1.50/gallon with no transmission and complex engine to need expensive ongoing maintenance. Early adopters will be buying the first expensive ones and I plan to be one of those...be it a plug in prius, Chevy Volt or the iMiev - my next car (commuter) will plug in at night and not use gasoline for the most part.
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Ian Page-Echols 3:08PM (7/14/2008)
You might know this already, but first gen technology for electric cars was over a century ago. We've been able to create usable electric cars for over 100 years, but we're just getting back to the point where the manufacturers might be building them again.
Also, back in the 60's there was a electric Corvair built with somewhat impressive specs, just louder and a bit more inefficient than newer electrics. The Electrovair.
For a look at some of the oldest electric cars, go to Jay Leno's Garage web site and look up the Detroit Edison.