$15,600 the sweet spot for electric cars in Japan
Mitsubishi i-MiEV sport - Click image above for a high-res gallery
It's a hard target to hit, but if full-speed electric cars were available today for 1.5 million yen (about $15,600), most average Japanese car buyers would be willing to shell out the money to get one. A new Reuters survey of 882 people found that somewhere between 1.5 million and 2 million yen ($20,800) was considered a fair price by 40 percent of respondents. Another 15 percent said their upper limit was 1.5 million yen. An even higher price, between 2 and 2.5 million yen ($26,000), was acceptable for another 19 percent of the respondents. Ten percent said no way, no how at any price. The survey was conducted earlier this month. More details on the survey - what other options were asked and who was asked, were not immediately available. Looks like Mitsubishi and Nisssan and other interested companies have their work cut out for them.
Gallery: Mitsubishi i MiEV Sport for Tokyo
[Source: Asia One Motoring]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
jharlan 12:16AM (5/30/2009)
That price range is realistic for a mass revolution to EVs. They seem to be coming in about double that figure, so they aren't going to get enough volume to drive the prices down. A modest EV isn't worth $30K to most people, but it is to some.
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polo 12:57AM (5/30/2009)
That perception will change in a couple years when EVs are driving down the streets. The experience is distinctly different, and the premium price of the first models will make the "want" factor even higher for those out of its price range.
Oh, and I really hope mitsubitchi releases the imev sport. That car is flawless!
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Carlos 4:50AM (5/30/2009)
i´ve got a survey on my website to know the same information on the Spanish market, it will finish next friday, i will send the results.
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Mark 7:03AM (5/30/2009)
I spend on average about $1000 on fuel per year, then another $500 on insurance and other $500 on up keep. This works out at about $2000 in running costs.
I have read that EVs will cost about 100 dollars on fuel, insurance will be less than half and upkeep will be about 10% of current costs.
My current car costs about $10000 so even if I pay $20000 for an EV I have made my money back in less than 10 years (the amount of time I expect to keep the car)
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zard 5:54PM (5/30/2009)
The cost gap between gas and electric car will narrow down. More electric cars higher electricity cost(gov't will tax it eventually) But cost of fuel for gas car will go down due to wider usage of cheap biofuel. There will be no insurance benefit once electric cars gain popularity. And you might have to change the battery every 5 or 7 years.(Remember those battery out there being claimed to last 10 years or so are not 10 years yet so it's not proven)
At the end the consumers will feel no benefit of having electric car(well they might be saving earth from global warming...but i don't believe all this global warming things..)
Snoopy 1:13AM (6/01/2009)
Hey Mark,
I've begun linking this a lot, just because it seems to be quite poignant right now. It's a cost comparison of the regular i-MiEV and the iCar, which is the gas model it's based on.
http://www.autobloggreen.com/2009/05/16/imiev-coming-to-uk-in-november-for-20-000-25-000/2#comments
Yanquetino was also kind enough to supply a basic long term cost calculator in the comment below it. It doesn't include maintenance, but you should be able to figure out costs based on your general usage.
ljbad4life 5:01PM (5/30/2009)
That is on nice looking interior.... 15k sounds more than all right in my book
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