Mitsubishi iMiEV
-
Hi Guys,
It looks like Mitsubishi are serious about the iMiEV and it will be launched early next year. The saloon is an ugly little thing but there is something cute about it at the same time, however I quite like the look of the Sports 'i'. Both would appear to have that slightly high driving position which I really like in my wife's Suzuki Swift. I am getting very fed up of night driving in my car with all these SUVs on the roads these days. The glare can be quite blinding in wet conditions.
It seems that these little 'i' cars tick most of the boxes when it comes to everyday use and I imagine the prices will be within normal ranges also. The saloon offer an 0-100kph in under 9 secs and I imagine the Sports will do better. I read that acceleration in an electric car is a nice sensation, very smooth!
I've never driven an electric car but look forward to testing the 'i' at my local Mitsubishi dealers soon and maybe even going down from 3400cc (hanging head in shame!) to something more friendly to the environment.
Here is a good few link if you are interested in reading about specs / performance. http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fv20080217pl.html
Mike
-
I love the look of the sport model, its very cool!
-
Yeah, its cool. And 1-100kph in under 7secs is not bad.
-
It is a nice car. I find very interesting that Japanese government will pay 50% of a price of all '0%' emissions vehicles.
I just wonder when we will see it in Europe. -
The design of the sports model looks cool but the wheel arches that stand proud of the front of the car look very vulnerable.
-
Mike,
you'll need a fleet of those electric cars to undo the damage your current weapon of choice is causing! Is it a classic you drive?
Thanks for the heads up. But I'd like to know why do most things now start with a small 'i'?
iRegards,
iRich -
Tomaz,
It looks like it will be launched in Nov'09. The price is going to be high from what I can see but if the reduced cost the owner's fuel bill can be looked at over, say a 4 year period, it might make sense from the financial point of view along with the environmental!Jon,
You are right! Those front wheel arches do protrude beyond the 'bumper', again maybe a good crumple zone for safety?Rich,
The the case of the 'i' in iMiEV I imagine it stands for intelligence. I think the 'i' in iPhone stands for internet. Having an'i' in a product these days looks to be the 'i'n way of branding from what I can see.Well, I do very little driving these days as I work from my home office most of the time although I will be moving into a new office over the next few months as SketchUcation expands and this will be
HQ for SketchUcation and associated businesses. But again I wont be doing much more driving as the new office is only a 15 min walk and I have to do at least 30 min walking a day, doc's orders after the stent insertion!Anyway to answer your question. Yes I drive a classic (911), its the forth one I've had over a long and very expensive indulgence in nice cars. I am now coming around to my long suffering wife's thinking that cars are really only a means to get from A to B as efficiently and cheaply as possible. I would really like to get an electric car soon and maybe even go the full hog and put up a small wind gererator to fuel it. There would be a great satisfaction to be had knowing that one's means of transport is as eco friendly as possible.
Mike
-
Nice motor Mike and good to hear you are getting a new office
-
Dylan,
Yes the 911 looks good and could even be regarded as an everyday car to a certain extent but I have a feeling the days of the 'muscle' car is fast coming to an end. Where, other than a race track, can you comfortably open up to 250kph? (top speed over here is 120kph). I'm now thinking I would be better off with a nippy, economic hatchback with a decent 1-100kph under 8-sec and returning an average of 20-kpl plus. Ideally a hybrid of some sort.
Speaking of Green Cars, here is a good list of what is about to come on the market, some already there,
http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/Green-Cars/I was reading about the Citroen DS3 http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-Results/First-Official-Pictures/Citroen-DS3-2009-the-first-production-photos/ yesterday and quite like it. They talk a lot about the 'shark fin', but to my way of thinking they would be better off saying nothing as the 'fin' is pointing in the wrong direction. Maybe call it a 'hook' or something? Citroen are also bringing out an Electro - Diesel in late 2001 with the launch of the DS5. Seemingly the front wheels will be driven by the diesel motor and the rear wheels will have built-in electric motors. They are mentioning a 0-100kph in 4.7 sec. The Electro-Deisel in a DS3 would be a nice package! Who would want a 'muscle car' any longer?
There should be some interesting times ahead in the car scene, if only the ecomony would pick up!
Mike
-
@unknownuser said:
But I'd like to know why do most things now start with a small 'i'?
Same reason there were car models called 'CD' and 'laser' back when CD players were new. Turbo. LX. Royale. Whatever - something catches the public eye/ear and for a while becomes a signifier of cool and desirable. Remember when there were lots of Xs and Zs in car model names? Not quite sure why there have never been Ford Mustang 'Schlong' variants, or NIssan NIpples.
Advertisement