Mitsubishi iMiev Goes On Sale in Japan in 8 Days

The Mitsubishi iMiev All Electric Car



Are you ready? Here we go with another all electric car being offered to consumers. Like the Tesla Roadster, the Mitsubishi iMiev will be highway capable as opposed to all of the NEV's on the market. Apparently, Mitsubishi will offer the car in multiple configurations, allowing longer and shorter ranges.

Thus begins the parade of major manufacturers offering all electric vehicles. These are exciting times for alternate energy vehicle aficionados.

From Autocar UK:

Mitsubishi is planning to launch an extended range of its all-electric i-MiEV city car.

The Japanese firm’s president Osamu Masuko has said Mitsubishi is looking to launch cheaper i-MiEVs which cover shorter distances on a single charge. It is also planning to launch an i-MiEV capable of travelling 124 miles on a single charge, up from the 100 miles that the current car can manage.

Masuko plans for electric and hybrid cars to make up 20 per cent of its sales by 2020.

“We have to understand that the automotive industry is facing a big change; the business model that worked for the last century will not be sustainable in the future,” he said.

“We need to show concrete actions on how Mitsubishi Motors will meet these [challenges]. It's important to take the first step.”

The current i-MiEV is only available to lease in Japan at the moment, but it is set to be officially made available for sale in Europe late next year.

A plug-in hybrid model is also set to follow within three year; this will be launched at the Tokyo motor show this autumn.