Latest first drives Mitsubishi i-MiEV first drive Feb 2011
The first of a wave of electric cars to hit UK shores, Mitsubishi's i-MiEV is now a production reality. We charge it up and hit the mean streets of London to see how it fares.
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Mitsubishi's cute i-MiEV is the Japanese company's first assault on the UK electric car market. On the surface it's a four-seat city car, but the only fuel you'll need to put in is electricity. It's been a long time coming, but it's finally available in the UK as one of the first electric cars available to consumers. So just what do you need to know before taking the plunge on an electric car like the i-MiEV?
i-Car roots
The Mitsubishi i-MiEV isn't strictly a new model, in fact it's more a reworking of the petrol-powered i-Car that we first saw in 2007. It's a four-seat city car (small supermini) and will also be offered with Citroen and Peugeot badges, called the C-Zero and iOn respectively.
Mitsubishi has cut the price of the i-MiEV city car by almost £10,000
Make a statement
We think the i-MiEV (and other electric cars) will appeal to those trying to make a statement. They're very expensive to buy, and the low running costs don't always justify the high purchase price. The environmental credentials of using an electric car are hotly debated. Any 'zero emissions' claims are certainly fanciful, unless you have your own renewable electricity supply.
Just how far can you go?
The distance you can travel on one charge is claimed to be 80 miles. We've found that figure could be closer to 50 miles if you use ancillaries such as the heater and/or air conditioning. The other big handicap is your ability to charge the i-MiEV. You will need a (safe) outdoor mains socket and a driveway - or a garage with an electricity supply. Dangling an extension cord out of a second-storey window is simply not going to work!
