Mitsubishi is to make it possible for home electrical appliances such as rice cookers and washing machines to operate off the power stored in the battery of its electric car model, the i-MiEV.
The seemingly odd announcement makes sense when you consider recent events in the car maker’s home country, where there have been widespread blackouts following the earthquake and tsunami back in March.
According to Japanese publication, the Daily Yomiuri, this lead to customers in the country express an interest in being able to access the power stored in the car’s battery at times of need such as during blackouts.
The paper reports that the manufacturer has provided about 80 i-MiEV models to the devastated area in East Japan to help provide vital transport links.
The i-MiEVs already hit the headlines for their role in the recoveryprocess (see story) because, while electricity supplies have been quickly restored in many areas, petrol supplies are still running low, giving the electric cars an advantage over conventional cars in helping to distribute food and medical supplies.
Currently, i-MiEV cars are able to supply power to charge a mobile phone or run a laptop through an adapter that fits into the car’s cigarette lighter. However, the car is unable to power home electronics that require a lot of electricity.
But now Mitsubishi has announced that it will introduce a device that provides 100-volt outlets within the year, one year ahead of schedule. These will allow the car to power high voltage household appliances.
Mitsubishi i-MiEV’s lithium-ion battery, with its capacity of 16 kilowatts per hour, holds enough electrical charge to power the average household over one to 1-1/2 days.
