Tokyo 2009: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo is bigger, o-kei!
by Jonathon Ramsey on Oct 21st 2009 at 8:52AM 
Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
You can make anything bigger and better if you just add a hump, and that's what Mitsubishi has done to its i-MiEV to create the i-MiEV Cargo.
For those who find Ford's Transit Connect simply too monstrous and don't want to pay for gas – like, oh, a commercial concern in Tokyo – Mitsu's battery-powered i-MiEV could be the perfect solution. Growing only in height compared to its hatchback sibling, the thing is tiny but still packs 62 cubic feet of cargo space in its Quasimodo back end – that's a little less than half the Transit Connect's space. That said, we have to wonder how much a full cargo load will negatively effect the i-MiEV's range and overall performance.
Read all about the Cargo's big smallness in the press release after the jump, and have a gander at it in the gallery of high-res photos below.
Gallery: Tokyo 2009: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo
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Photos copyright ©2009 Jonathon Ramsey / Weblogs, Inc.
PRESS RELEASE:
Generous expansion of i-MiEV 's interior space
Concept: Greater utility for an extended range of uses
The i-MiEV CARGO is a concept car that maximizes the outstanding environmental performance and economic efficiency characteristics that define the i-MiEV production model and at the same time adds a generous amount of customizable free space at the rear to extend the range of uses to which it can be put by corporate users and self-employed operators in particular. The result is a concept for an EV that meets user space needs and demands for a variety of situations: from business use, where maximum payload space is required, to leisure and other individual owner uses. Being a zero-emission vehicle that produces no drive-time CO2* the i-MiEV CARGO offers the ideal solution to users in the welfare and medical fields where clean low emission vehicles are becoming a requirement.
*: Excluding CO2 emitted during the generation-to-charging process.
Design
Innovative and unique styling gives appealing road presence
The i-MiEV CARGO ' s distinctive styling was developed around a "joint" design concept as it links the i-MiEV ' s curvaceous front section with a square rear end that offers extra space. The S-shape body line running from the front to the rear gives the vehicle a light and nimble appearance when viewed from the side. The unique styling which effectively joins the radically different front and rear sections creates a road presence that will attract attention not just around town but on any number of situations. Inside, the simple and user-friendly styling eliminates extraneous elements and details to improve usability and create an interior space characterized by its free-thinking design and originality.
Free Space
Generous and versatile free space invites creative use of imagination
The square-design compartment at the rear of the vehicle allows every inch of available space to be utilized. Also, with its flat floor design and high capacity, the space not only accommodates more luggage or cargo but also lends itself to being customized in practically any manner the owner's imagination may run to and thus extend the range of uses to which it can be put. The height of the floor has been designed to facilitate loading and unloading of luggage or cargo.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Tim 9:45AM (10/21/2009)
They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
(I say that somebody needs glasses.)
Reply
Yanquetino 1:59PM (10/21/2009)
It might not make valets drool to park it, but it would prove more practical and versatile for, say, postal deliveries.
Hey... maybe next they'll come out with a Westfalia camper version...! :-)
Reply
alexacoon 4:32PM (10/21/2009)
This would make such a nice delivery vehicle for people who presently use minivans, wagons and the like. One concern many may have is the range for those who travel out in the suburbs but I have always wondered if something like one of those tiny nearly silent thousand watt Honda generators running continuously while your spending a lot of your time parked. How much extra range would 8 extra kilowatts give you? You could size your generator accordingly and I would imagine you would still do far better than hauling around a car engine like the volt.
Reply
Andy 11:30PM (10/21/2009)
You are not alone with that thought :) Pack a small genset in the trunk for emergencies.
This little fellah should get you 30 miles to the next plug in socket.. albeit slowly.
http://www.hondapowerequipment.com/products/modeldetail.aspx?page=modeldetail§ion=P2GG&modelname=EU2000i&modelid=EU2000IAN