Mitsubishi ready for EV !

WHEN politicians start talking about electric cars, you just know it’s going to happen some time soon.

That “it” is the roll-out of financial incentives, a network of charging points and a general endorsement of the whole project.

The idea of being able to replace the trusty internal combustion engine is, frankly, a bogus one.

So Mitsubishi believes it has hit on a smart solution – an electric version of its unusual i car, called the i MiEV.

In petrol-powered form, it works remarkably well and, like it’s fossil-fuelled sibling, the i MiEV is a piece of cake to operate – you just stick it in drive and off you go. And boy does this thing go. You could call it the anti-car: the controls are easy to use, the car is exceptionally easy to manoeuvre around town and, despite its size, it can carry four adults with ease.

Electric cars are often saddled with a list of compromises longer than the vehicle’s range. Mitsubishi is all too keen to remind you of the i MiEV’s sub-100 mile range, although if you stay within the city limits and do only a handful of miles a day, this is unlikely to be a problem.

Being a city runabout, the car’s modest range isn’t really an issue at all. Granted, cold weather will reduce that, but hooking up the car at a place of work, for example, would alleviate that issue on the spot.

The stop-start nature of urban traffic is no longer a chore as the little Mitsubishi boasts a sense of urgency that’s lacking in conventional, lethargic, fuel-powered cars.

And don’t worry, it stops as well as it goes. And it steers well, too. In fact, thanks to the battery pack – never a small item in cars like this – being underneath the cabin, the car feels more stable and agile than its petrol cousin.

It’s clear that, on paper and in practice, the car works: it’s easy to drive, practical and could easily be a supermini substitute for urban dwellers. But one important issue that will put it out of the reach of most buyers is the cost.

An outright purchase option is unlikely as you would be looking at tens of thousands of pounds. Leasing is a more attractive option, and it’s also something that would attract local authorities and business customers.

Think meals on wheels, home help, pool cars for local travel and you’ll have a better idea of the car’s place in the motoring pecking order.

Mitsubishi has bold plans for the i MiEV. It has been well received in Japan and has all the hallmarks of a no-compromise electric vehicle for the masses – so much so that a few hundred, not a few dozen, are expected to (silently) hit the streets.

Source : The Press and Journal, by Iain Dooley June 24th, 2009