LA Auto Show: Mitsubishi i gets westernized by fattening up, Priced from around $30,000

The North American i-MiEV is finally here to help rally the Mitsubishi troops in what has to be one of the company's final attempts to stay afloat here in the the States. The US i will be sold strictly as an electric vehicle and use Mitsubishi's innovative Electric Vehicle system (MiEV).

The company plans to roll out the "i" to West Coast dealers (specifically California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii) in November 2011, with the Northeast getting access by March 2012, followed by nationwide availability by the end of 2012. According to Mitsubishi, the U.S.-spec model's MSRP is expected to be around $30,000, not including Federal and available state financial incentives. For the record, the larger Nissan Leaf EV has an MSRP of $32,780, again, not including any tax cuts.

Unlike the Euro-spec and upcoming US Fiat 500s, which don't appear to be very different from each other, there are some major visual differences between the Japanese i and the American version.

Most noticeable are the wider fenders to provide a bit more interior space, as well as new front and rear bumpers to meet US safety regulations. Standard features include a traction control system, airbags, and tire pressure monitoring system as well.

In order to improve efficiency, there are also "Eco" and "Brake" modes. If set to "Eco", the car's system will limit "excessive power usage", while "Brake" mode increases resistance in the regenerative braking system for a better charge.

The 16 kWh powertrain, mounted behind and below the rear seats, is made up of an 88-cell lithium-ion battery pack and "permanent magnet" synchronous electric motor. Power is rated at 63 horsepower and 133 lb-ft of torque for the mid-engined 4-seater.

Lastly, charging can be done at home via 110V (16 hours), 220V (8 hours), or three-phase 220V quick-charge systems. The quick charge system can get from "low" to about 80% charge in approximately thirty minutes.

By Phil Alex

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http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/11/la-auto-show-mitsubishi-i-gets_17.html?m=0

Bigger is Better: Mitsubishi's US-Spec Wide-Bodied i-MiEV Revealed Ahead of LA Show

These are the first official photos of the North American version of Mitsubishi's i-MiEV all-electric city, which will have its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show, to be held from Wednesday, November 17 to Sunday November 28.

Even though big ideas can come in small packages, for most things in America, consumers believe that "bigger is better" and "better is bigger". And seeing what happened with Mercedes-Benz and its Smart Fortwo mini, Mitsubishi decided to "fatten-up" the North American version of the i-MiEV, and make it bigger than its Japanese- and European-spec counterparts.

"[The i-MiEV] features an enhanced, enlarged body structure to secure plenty of space for four adults and better meet the expectations of U.S. consumers," said Mitsubishi in a statement.

With this and that, the wider and longer US-Spec i-MiEV measures 3,680 mm / 144.9" (+258mm or +9.8") in length, 1,585 mm / 62.4" (+110mm or +4.3") in width, 1,615 mm / 63.6" (+5mm or +0.2") in height.

In addition to the larger frame, the North American-spec i-MiEV gets a new set of front and rear bumpers as well as some interior changes.

Mitsubishi has not yet released details on the U.S. model's electric-drivetrain. The smaller JDM version of the plug-in EV is powered by an electric motor with 64HP (47kW) and 180Nm (132.8-lbs/ft) of maximum torque, driving the rear wheels. A full charge of the lithium-ion batteries is said to offer a driving range of up to 100 miles or 160 km.

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http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/11/bigger-is-better-mitsubishi-us-spec.html?m=0

Mitsubishi's Future in America Uncertain, New Small Models Coming as Larger Models Fade

While Mitsubishi works on making a new global small car, any development on the future of its "larger" cars has been put on hold. What does that mean for Mitsubishi Stateside? Well, it doesn't look good.

The small car would possibly be offered here in 2012 (it's said to have sub-1.5 liter 3-cylinder engine), but it's hard to believe a small efficient car (and the Lancer family) could be enough to justify keeping the brand here. There's light on the horizon, but more on that in a bit.

First, about the larger "names" at Mitsubishi: Eclipse and Galant. According to a report from Autoweek, until a decision regarding their futures is made later this year, the PS platform-based Eclipse / Eclipse Spyder, mid-size Galant sedan, and mid-size Endeavor crossover are going to keep being built as they are in Normal, Illinois.

Now, if someone were to come in and provide Mitsubishi with an investment (PSA Peugeot Citroën, I'm looking your way), the plant could be retooled and updated to build some really neat cars. If not, then Mitsubishi may be stuck with less than a decent lineup.

Thankfully, there's that upside: a few new and interesting models will be showing up in the next two years in order to impress upon consumer's Mitsubishi's new brand image. What kind of image? That of a manufacturer of compact, efficient, and electric cars. People will like that, right?

First, there's the Outlander Sport / RVR / ASX that will take on Kia's Soul and Nissan's Juke this fall with the Lancer's 2.0-liter engine, and the i-Miev electric buggy kei car should appear later next year as a 2012 model. If Mitsubishi really expects people to seriously consider a sub-$30,000 i-Miev (good luck with that), consumers would need to be offered more than "a basic stereo system, air-conditioning and heating units and power windows and locks."

Meanwhile, the Lancer lineup and the Outlander should both expect a mild (aka cheap) refresh in the next few years.

What could Mitsubishi do to survive in the States? Any ideas? By now, I'm certain Mitsubishi is listening.

By Phil Alex

Via: Autoweek

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2010/09/mitsubishi-future-in-america-uncertain.html?m=0

Peugeot Begins Accepting Pre-Orders for All-Electric i0n Mini

Even though we're still a full year away from the European market launch of the iOn, Peugeot has already started to take pre-reservations for the all-electric car in the UK. Revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the i0n is actually a rebadged Mitsubishi i-MiEV. As part of the PSA Peugeot-Citroen and Mitsubishi deal, Citroen will also launch its own version of the i-MiEV called the C-Zero.

With four doors and four seats, and a compact length of 3.48 m, the i0n is powered by a 64bhp electric motor that allows it to reach a top speed of 80mph or 129 km/h.

The small city car has a driving range of 80 miles (129 km) on a single charge of its lithium-ion batteries which can be recharged in six hours through a conventional mains power supply or recharged to 80% capacity within thirty minutes with a fast charging system.

Peugeot has not disclosed prices for the i0n. However, we do know that in Japan, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV is priced from 4,599,000 Yen (that's €34,500 or $51,300 at today's exchange rates), which is more than twice the cost of a Toyota Prius.

http://carscoopcar.blogspot.com/2009/11/peugeot-begins-accepting-pre-orders-for.html?m=0