Just the Facts:
- The first 2012 Mitsubishi i bound for the North American market has rolled off the line at the Mizushima plant in Japan.
- The first cars are expected to arrive in late November in Hawaii, California, Washington and Oregon.
- The 2012 Mitsubishi i is priced from $29,985.
TOKYO — The first 2012 Mitsubishi i bound for the North American market has rolled off the line at the Mizushima plant in Japan. The first cars are expected to arrive in late November in Hawaii, California, Washington and Oregon.
The 2012 Mitsubishi i is priced from $29,985, including an $860 shipping charge. That's about $6,000 less than a 2012 Nissan Leaf, the only other mass-produced electric car on the market in North America.
The Mitsubishi i also trumped the Leaf in EPA fuel-economy equivalency, with ratings of 126 MPGe in city driving and 99 MPGe on the highway, compared with 106 MPGe city and 92 MPGe highway for the Leaf.
Inside Line says: We'll soon see if Nissan left Mitsubishi any EV business in the States.
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leafguy says:
08:39 PM, 10/30/2011
Comparing the Mitsubishi i to a Nissan LEAF is like comparing a Mini Cooper to a Toyota Camry. One is a subcompact and the other a midsize sedan. It's just that the i and the LEAF happen to both be electric. Just because both are powered by electric motors doesn't mean that they should be compared to each other. They serve different needs, just as the Mini and the Camry serve different needs. The i, like the Chevrolet Volt, only has room for four. The LEAF will hold five. These are different cars for different markets. With its reduced size on the outside, the i has significantly less room inside as well - over eight inches less front leg room, and over five inches less head room than the LEAF. Edmunds - please keep in mind that as more electric cars are built, they won't necessarily compete against each other, as they fill different segments of the market. They will be competing against the gasoline powered vehicles in their segment - just as the LEAF is competing against the gasoline powered vehicles in its class.
motorstreet says:
07:11 PM, 10/28/2011
I think this car makes a lot more sense as an EV than the Leaf, because it's cheaper (but still very expensive), smaller, and better for city driving. The size helps because it will be more maneuverable and easier to park. EVs only work in the city because of their severely limited range, so it also doesn't really matter if this car turns out to be useless on the highway. I think it has an advantage over the Smart ForTwo ED, because of its extra space.
nwng says:
11:25 AM, 10/28/2011
if only we can figure out how to swap depleted batteries with fully charged ones at gas stations, with a procedure that takes less than 10 minutes. Like a drivethru carwash. Li-ions are getting smaller, right?
These guys need to think outside the box to get the ev ball rolling.
to626n says:
10:00 AM, 10/28/2011
It's nice to see more EV's coming to the US, but whereas the Leaf could pass for a 33k car the Mitsubishi i looks like an EV based on a Tata Nano which costs under 5k.