Mitsubishi i-MiEV European rollout and price announced

Mitsubishi i-MiEV production version

On sale in December

Ahead of the Paris Motor Show, Mitsubishi has released new information about the Euro-spec i-MiEV.

Virtually identical to the Japanese version, the Euro i-MiEV will feature revised bumpers, a modified center stack, and "improved interior comfort." To enhance occupant safety, the company added Active Stability Control (ASC) and side / curtain airbags.

As we have previously reported, the EV features a lithium-ion battery which powers a small electric motor with 47 kW (63 hp / 64 PS) and 180 Nm (133 lb-ft) of torque. This setup enables the car to have a range of 160 km (100 miles).

On sale in December, the i-MiEV will be launched in 14 countries including France, Germany and the United Kingdom. Pricing will range from €33,000 - €35,000 (or equivalent), but government incentives will lower it to €30,000 in most nations.

Check out the press release for additional information

Source: Mitsubishi

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Mitsubishi Motors Corporation to Premiere the European-spec i-MiEV 100% Electric Vehicle at the 2010 Paris Motor Show

Tokyo, August 31, 2010 - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will introduce the European-spec version of its i-MiEV 100% electric vehicle at the 2010 Paris Motor Show ("Mondial de L' Automobile 2010") to be held at Paris Expo - Porte de Versailles in Paris, France from Thursday, September 30th to Sunday, October 17th (open to the general public from Saturday, October 2nd).

A total of 12 vehicles (7 on press days) will be displayed at its stand in Hall 3, including:

The recently introduced ASX (RVR in Japan) compact crossover equipped with MMC's all-new "low impact" 4N13 diesel engine,

The Lancer Sportback (Galant Fortis Sportback in Japan) now featuring the same 150 ps 1.8 DiD engine,

The new Outlander 2.2 DiD mid-size crossover, whose 177 ps unit is a further derivative (4N14) of this same family of innovative diesel powerplants.

Concerning the European-spec i-MiEV, MMC plans to successively roll it out from December of this year in 14 countries*1 including France, the United Kingdom, Germany and further expand the European rollout from fiscal year 2011.

The price*2 of the European-spec i-MiEV will differ by country but will be set to around €33,000 - €35,000 (or equivalent) so that the final cost to the customer after government incentives (where applicable) remains under €30,000 (or equivalent) in a majority of the countries it is to be sold in.

*1 Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom.
*2 The price includes car and batteries

Compared with the Japanese market version, the European-spec i-MiEV includes specific features such as:

new design to the front and rear bumpers to meet EU regulations,

re-arranged center stack in the instrument panel,

improved interior comfort.

Furthermore, safety - both active & passive - has been improved with the addition of Active Stability Control (ASC), as well as side and curtain airbags, all standard equipment.

To celebrate 40 years of electric development at Mitsubishi Motors, a further display in Hall 8 will present the 1989 Mitsubishi Minicab EV for the first time in Europe, as part of "The Incredible Collection" heritage show.

For more information on the i-MiEV, please access www.new-imiev.com.

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Mikeado

€35k? That's £30,000! Thirty Thousand Pounds!! For a Kei car full of batteries! They must be mad! If people are going to start buying electric cars, they need to be bespoke, not based on cars we know of and know to cost around £10,000. Otherwise it just seems like a rip-off.

August 31, 2010 7:38 am

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B_M_Gearhead

High prices come with the territory. All the rare earth metals and expensive manufacturing techniques used in this type of vehicle makes the price go up. Maybe someday, hopefully soon, as demand grows and production ramps up, they will be able to mass produce these cars in such numbers that the prices will go down. Until the rare earth metals start to get scarce, some experts say that will happen 2012, which I don't believe. But geologists did find $1 trillion worth of the stuff in Afghanistan, and you thought the war was bad now!

August 31, 2010 10:29 am

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N20_Purge

I'm sure there are reasons for its extremely steep price, but I think it's too expensive for me. Besides, a Mitsubishi Lancer Evo X costs about the same to buy.

August 31, 2010 10:54 am

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BackInTheRealWorld

Somehow the delusion that battery technology is catching up to the ICE is slowly but surely failing. Its MY2011 aready and its the same story as 10 years ago.

August 31, 2010 6:57 pm

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Mikeado

The problem is that hardly anyone's buying them, so money isn't being made and research into making them cheaper and better isn't happening. There need to be better incentives for early adopters and, frankly, the idea needs to be wrapped in a more attractive package. That way people can shake off the image of electric cars being little snot boxes. The only pretty one currently is the Tesla, which is a hideously expensive specialist car that got criticised on TopGear for not working. We need a new-from-the-ground-up electric car that's good-looking and accessible to get people on board. Oh, and firmly below €40k.

September 1, 2010 9:21 am

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PeterPL

I am strongly for ecological cars but looking at the prices, I think that ecology is for wealthy people. Spending over €30k for small car which is appropriate only for the city ride doesn't seem to be a reasonable decision. Anyway if I could afford this car for commuting, I'd buy it.

September 1, 2010 12:37 am

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