VIDEO: Mitsubishi boss talks about electric car plans
The Wall Street Journal talked to Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko ahead of this week's Moscow Motor Show about some of the company's recovery, its involvement in the Russian market and its plans for marketing electric vehicles. Masuko reiterated earlier announcements that the the iMiEV would go on sale in Japan next summer at a price of about $27,400. Once production ramps up to higher levels Mitsubishi hopes to drive the price down under $20,000. Initially the iMiEV will be in right hand drive only with a left hand drive model coming in 2010. The company hasn't decided on U.S. sales yet. That will depend on the results of field tests with California utilities beginning late this year. Mitsubishi has questions about the U.S. infrastructure and whether this particular car is suitable for use in the U.S. Initial volumes will be low with about 2,000 the first year and doubling each year for the next couple of years. Mitsubishi has already announced plans to increase the planned production volumes of batteries from its joint venture with Yuasa. According to Masuko, the company has no plans to build hybrids but will look at plug-in hybrids down the road. Check out the video after the jump. Thanks to Mark for the tip!
Gallery: Mitsubishi i MiEV - LIVE
[Source: Wall Street Journal]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Ben 12:42PM (8/29/2008)
I wonder what hoops I would have to go through to seriously get on the list to be among the first 100 buyers/drivers in the US of this car?
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wave54 2:24PM (8/29/2008)
It sounds like it may be a while before we see it in the US. If they produce 2000 units next year and double every year after that, it will be 2014 before there are 64K cars available to satisfy worldwide demand. Japan and the rest of Asia can easily gobble that number up.
That's not nearly enough volume (barring expansion or upping production) -- the Aveo has sold roughly 100K cars a year in the US alone -- many more worldwide.
dwhall 7:27PM (9/02/2008)
Remember to sign the petition to bring the imiev to North America
http://www.petitiononline.com/iMiEV/petition-sign.html
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