Mitsubishi Plug-in Electric Cars Replace Conventional With EV Components

By: Andy Hodges
Staff Writer
Published: Jun 11, 2009

Mitsubishi "i MiEV" electric cars are based on the gasoline 660cc "i" minicar and can offer up to 100 miles per gallon.

Mitsubishi Motors Corporation is doing something remarkable with its new plug-in electric cars. The new cars are called the "i MiEV" which is based on the gasoline 660cc "i" minicar, and can drive up to 100 miles on a single battery charge. Electric vehicles are coming fast from various automakers.

The Mitsubishi electric car produces zero-emissions and approximately 30 percent of the Co2 of a gasoline mini car. In a nutshell, the "i MiEV" replaces the conventional engine, transmission and fuel tank with a lithium-ion battery system, motor, inverter and other EV components. The installation of the batteries is located under the floor which makes the automobile's center of gravity low in an effort to provide more stability during drives. It also enables the motor and inverter to be installed in the space that used to house the conventional engine and transmission.

The "i MiEV" electric minicar has a long wheelbase and seats up to four passengers. There is also a reasonable cargo space for luggage in the rear. While this minicar appears small on the outside, it does provide plenty of cabin space.

Electric vehicles are rapidly advancing and this Mitsubishi EV is no exception. The car will be available in April 2010 with a price tag of $45,000. Critics and most auto reviewers claim the price is too high. However, we feel that its reasonable since the vehicle can offset the price as a gas-free solution.

New cars that run on electricity also have a cost per kilometer to drive. The i MiEV is one third that of a comparable gasoline car. Depending on the cost of electricity, cost per kilometer can drop as low as one ninth that of gasoline. For example, you can save more money on electricity by charging the EV during off-peak or night-time hours.

Drivers will notice that this car has good acceleration and runs very quiet. Stronger acceleration is achieved through a compact and highly efficient permanent magnet synchronous motor that generates high torque from a low speed. The Mitsubishi car uses an electric motor free of the vertical vibration associated with gasoline engines, it runs extremely quiet.

Using the on-board charger, the vehicle can be charged with a 100V or 200V power source in the home. In addition, if quick-chargers currently being developed by power companies are used, it will be possible to charge the vehicle in a short time. The battery can be charged from household outlets in about 12-14 hours, while a quick-charger will only take 30 minutes.

In addition to the standard Drive range, i MiEV electric car features an Eco (Economy) range, which limits excessive power going to the motor, and a Brake range which applies the regenerative brake more aggressively during incline descents. The regenerative brake is a mechanism that reduces automobile speed by converting the kinetic energy into battery energy. New cars which are EV are perfect for city travel and can bypass traffic congestion to get you from point A to point B while reducing carbon emissions.