The Mitsubishi Motors i MiEV city car was announced as the winner of the Japanese Car of the Year ‘Most Advanced Technology’ award yesterday at the 41st Tokyo International Motor Show 2009.
The feisty little i MiEV was praised for bringing advanced lithium-ion battery technology into a full four-seat family city car, and for taking it to full-production status.
The car went on sale in Japan from July this year with all 1,400 of this year’s units already sold. An additional 900 orders have also been received in Japan for the 2010 build allocation.
European production is scheduled to begin in October 2010 and will be available in left hand drive markets across Continental Europe towards the end of the year, according to market. The UK, which benefits from being a right hand drive market as in Japan, will see its first cars go onto UK roads in December this year.
The i MiEV has a top speed of 81 mph, a range of 100 miles and can be trickle charged from flat to full in 6 hours using a UK three-pin socket, costing only 96p for a full charge. In addition, the i MiEV can be fast-charged from flat to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes.
Mitsubishi Motors’ intends to make 20 per cent of its total vehicle production either electric or plug-in hybrid electric vehicles by 2020.
