Most people don’t realize there was no Mitsubishi i-MiEV in 2015. There wasn’t one in 2013 either. The car has gotten very little attention from the parent company, even though it is the lowest priced pure battery car sold in America.
Whether the car is not up to expectations or whether Mitsubishi has failed to market it effectively, the fact remains that less than 2000 of them have been sold since it went on sale here in the US. During that same period, Nissan has found more than 72,000 buyers for its all electric LEAF.
One of the reasons for that is the car’s short range. The most it can manage on a clear day with a tail wind is 62 miles from its tiny 16 kWh battery. For those who don’t have far to go, it is the perfect commuter car and most of its owners are quite happy with their i-MiEV’s. But for most folks, it just doesn’t have enough range for their needs.
Has Mitsubishi learned anything from its 4 years of on again, off again experience with the i-MiEV? Apparently not, or not much, at any rate. The 2016 model features the same 16 kWh battery and the same 62 miles of range. The company did add DC fast charging capability to the 2014 car and has fiddled with the mix of interior options like seat heaters and cruise control, but for all practical purposes, the new car will be indistinguishable from the old car.
Mitsubishi has always had a love/hate relationship with America. Even though it builds good cars, their reputation for reliability has never equalled that of Honda, Toyota and Nissan. Most of that has less to do with the products and more to do with its ragtag dealer network which has been frankly awful for decades. While the latest plug in Outlander has been selling well in Europe and Asia, it has been kept off the American market for 3 years while Mitsubishi executives dithered.
If you need a low priced battery electric with only 60 miles of range, the i-MiEV is a real car that offers real value. Check it out soon at your local Mitsubishi dealer — if you can find one.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment