Bigger is Better: Mitsubishi's US-Spec Wide-Bodied i-MiEV Revealed Ahead of LA Show

These are the first official photos of the North American version of Mitsubishi's i-MiEV all-electric city, which will have its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show, to be held from Wednesday, November 17 to Sunday November 28.

Even though big ideas can come in small packages, for most things in America, consumers believe that "bigger is better" and "better is bigger". And seeing what happened with Mercedes-Benz and its Smart Fortwo mini, Mitsubishi decided to "fatten-up" the North American version of the i-MiEV, and make it bigger than its Japanese- and European-spec counterparts.

"[The i-MiEV] features an enhanced, enlarged body structure to secure plenty of space for four adults and better meet the expectations of U.S. consumers," said Mitsubishi in a statement.

With this and that, the wider and longer US-Spec i-MiEV measures 3,680 mm / 144.9" (+258mm or +9.8") in length, 1,585 mm / 62.4" (+110mm or +4.3") in width, 1,615 mm / 63.6" (+5mm or +0.2") in height.

In addition to the larger frame, the North American-spec i-MiEV gets a new set of front and rear bumpers as well as some interior changes.

Mitsubishi has not yet released details on the U.S. model's electric-drivetrain. The smaller JDM version of the plug-in EV is powered by an electric motor with 64HP (47kW) and 180Nm (132.8-lbs/ft) of maximum torque, driving the rear wheels. A full charge of the lithium-ion batteries is said to offer a driving range of up to 100 miles or 160 km.

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Mitsubishi's Future in America Uncertain, New Small Models Coming as Larger Models Fade

While Mitsubishi works on making a new global small car, any development on the future of its "larger" cars has been put on hold. What does that mean for Mitsubishi Stateside? Well, it doesn't look good.

The small car would possibly be offered here in 2012 (it's said to have sub-1.5 liter 3-cylinder engine), but it's hard to believe a small efficient car (and the Lancer family) could be enough to justify keeping the brand here. There's light on the horizon, but more on that in a bit.

First, about the larger "names" at Mitsubishi: Eclipse and Galant. According to a report from Autoweek, until a decision regarding their futures is made later this year, the PS platform-based Eclipse / Eclipse Spyder, mid-size Galant sedan, and mid-size Endeavor crossover are going to keep being built as they are in Normal, Illinois.

Now, if someone were to come in and provide Mitsubishi with an investment (PSA Peugeot Citroën, I'm looking your way), the plant could be retooled and updated to build some really neat cars. If not, then Mitsubishi may be stuck with less than a decent lineup.

Thankfully, there's that upside: a few new and interesting models will be showing up in the next two years in order to impress upon consumer's Mitsubishi's new brand image. What kind of image? That of a manufacturer of compact, efficient, and electric cars. People will like that, right?

First, there's the Outlander Sport / RVR / ASX that will take on Kia's Soul and Nissan's Juke this fall with the Lancer's 2.0-liter engine, and the i-Miev electric buggy kei car should appear later next year as a 2012 model. If Mitsubishi really expects people to seriously consider a sub-$30,000 i-Miev (good luck with that), consumers would need to be offered more than "a basic stereo system, air-conditioning and heating units and power windows and locks."

Meanwhile, the Lancer lineup and the Outlander should both expect a mild (aka cheap) refresh in the next few years.

What could Mitsubishi do to survive in the States? Any ideas? By now, I'm certain Mitsubishi is listening.

By Phil Alex

Via: Autoweek

Peugeot Begins Accepting Pre-Orders for All-Electric i0n Mini

Even though we're still a full year away from the European market launch of the iOn, Peugeot has already started to take pre-reservations for the all-electric car in the UK. Revealed at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September, the i0n is actually a rebadged Mitsubishi i-MiEV. As part of the PSA Peugeot-Citroen and Mitsubishi deal, Citroen will also launch its own version of the i-MiEV called the C-Zero.

With four doors and four seats, and a compact length of 3.48 m, the i0n is powered by a 64bhp electric motor that allows it to reach a top speed of 80mph or 129 km/h.

The small city car has a driving range of 80 miles (129 km) on a single charge of its lithium-ion batteries which can be recharged in six hours through a conventional mains power supply or recharged to 80% capacity within thirty minutes with a fast charging system.

Peugeot has not disclosed prices for the i0n. However, we do know that in Japan, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV is priced from 4,599,000 Yen (that's €34,500 or $51,300 at today's exchange rates), which is more than twice the cost of a Toyota Prius.

Citroen C-Zero: New All-Electric Mini Unveiled Ahead of 2010 Market Launch

If the new Citroen C-Zero electric mini looks familiar that's because it is. See, while the French automaker claims in its press release that the EV is developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi, what it really means to say is that the C-Zero is the product of 'badge engineering'. Like its twin brother, the Peugeot i0n that was revealed at the Frankfurt Show in September, the C-Zero is nothing more than a Mitsubishi i-MiEV with Citroen badges.

Due for launch in the last quarter of 2010, the C-Zero comes with the same electric-drivetrain as the i-MiEV meaning that it s powered by a permanent magnet synchronous motor delivering 47kW or 64bhp from 3,000 to 6,000rpm and a maximum torque of 180Nm from 0 to 2,000rpm that drives the rear wheels through a single-speed reduction gear.

The motor is powered by a 330-volt lithium-ion battery system comprising 88 50Ah cells (for onboard energy of 16kWh) which are mounted in the centre of the vehicle offering a range of around 130 kilometers or 80 miles.

A complete charge of the battery pack takes six hours through a conventional 220-volt socket while an 80 per cent charge is possible in about 30 minutes using an external station with a single-phase current of 125A at 400V, for power of up to 50kW.

The French company says that the four-seater C-Zero, which measures in at just 3.48m in length, can accelerate from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in 15 seconds, from 60 to 90 km/h (37-56mph) in 6 seconds and reach a top speed of 130km/h or 80mph.

UK Police Forces to Employ Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Speed Criminals Rejoice...

While police officers in the States are getting ready to welcome the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice, in the UK the boys in blue -well, at least some of them- will soon be cracking down crime with the help (?) of Mitsubishi's all-electric i MiEV. The five-door micro car was showcased in full police livery at the National Police Show in September and according to the Japanese automaker, since then the company has been swamped with requests from UK Police Forces to trial the i MiEV.

Mitsubishi said that the first production versions of the i-MiEV are set to arrive in the UK in November 2009 and will be on the road in December 2009, with West Midlands Police being the first department to run the all-electric micro car in full operational use.

The four-seat, bubble-shaped i-MiEV gets an electric motor that makes 47kW / 64HP and 180Nm (132.8 lb-ft) of peak torque. Power is delivered to the rear-wheels with Mitsubishi claiming a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 81mph (130km/h).

Certainly not the best choice if you're trying to pursue someone but we gather that the i-MiEV will most likely be used by urban cops for light tasks.

UK Police Forces to Employ Mitsubishi i-MiEV, Speed Criminals Rejoice...

While police officers in the States are getting ready to welcome the 2011 Chevrolet Caprice, in the UK the boys in blue -well, at least some of them- will soon be cracking down crime with the help (?) of Mitsubishi's all-electric i MiEV. The five-door micro car was showcased in full police livery at the National Police Show in September and according to the Japanese automaker, since then the company has been swamped with requests from UK Police Forces to trial the i MiEV.

Mitsubishi said that the first production versions of the i-MiEV are set to arrive in the UK in November 2009 and will be on the road in December 2009, with West Midlands Police being the first department to run the all-electric micro car in full operational use.

The four-seat, bubble-shaped i-MiEV gets an electric motor that makes 47kW / 64HP and 180Nm (132.8 lb-ft) of peak torque. Power is delivered to the rear-wheels with Mitsubishi claiming a range of 100 miles and a top speed of 81mph (130km/h).

Certainly not the best choice if you're trying to pursue someone but we gather that the i-MiEV will most likely be used by urban cops for light tasks.

Tokyo '09: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo, an All-Electric Breadvan for the not so Needy

Now that the i-MiEV hybrid has become a production reality, Mitsubishi is exploring other possibilities to expand the city car's range with the world premiere of the i-MiEV Cargo concept at next month's Tokyo motorshow. The pint-size breadvan with the does away with the hatchback model's rear doors while gaining additional cargo space at the back thanks to a newly designed and taller rear end.

The cube-shaped rear compartment measures 1,350 mm wide by 1,180 mm deep and 1,100 mm high and features a flat floor. According to Mitsubishi, it allows every inch of available space to be utilized - not that there's much to go around...

There are no changes to the drivetrain that consists of a 330-volt lithium-ion battery system located under the floor deck and an electric motor that drives the rear wheels and develops an output of 47kW or 64HP and 180Nm or 132.8-lbs/ft of torque.

Tokyo '09: Mitsubishi i-MiEV Cargo, an All-Electric Breadvan for the not so Needy

Now that the i-MiEV hybrid has become a production reality, Mitsubishi is exploring other possibilities to expand the city car's range with the world premiere of the i-MiEV Cargo concept at next month's Tokyo motorshow. The pint-size breadvan with the does away with the hatchback model's rear doors while gaining additional cargo space at the back thanks to a newly designed and taller rear end.

The cube-shaped rear compartment measures 1,350 mm wide by 1,180 mm deep and 1,100 mm high and features a flat floor. According to Mitsubishi, it allows every inch of available space to be utilized - not that there's much to go around...

There are no changes to the drivetrain that consists of a 330-volt lithium-ion battery system located under the floor deck and an electric motor that drives the rear wheels and develops an output of 47kW or 64HP and 180Nm or 132.8-lbs/ft of torque.

Peugeot i0n EV: Rebadged Mitsubishi i-MiEV All-Electric Mini to Debut in Frankfurt, Goes on Sale in 2010

Looks like Pug's designers had a much easier task than initially thought when we decided to 'chop' a Peugeot fascia on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV after the announcement on the introduction of the Peugeot and Citroen EVs based on the Japanese mini. In what seems like a five minute job, Peugeot slapped one of its logos on the i-MiEV, changed the alloy wheels and slightly altered the front bumper to accommodate Euro-plates and 'voila': the new Peugeot i0n...

The French automaker, which claims to be the manufacturer with the most "zero emission" electric vehicles sold in the world to this day with models like the Peugeot 106 Electric that was produced between 1995 and 2003, will display the i0n for the first time at the Frankfurt Motor Show later this month..

The European-spec i-MiEV (let's not fool ourselves, that's what the i0n is) is motivated by an electric motor that drives the rear wheels producing an output of 47kW or 64HP and 180Nm or 132.8-lbs/ft of maximum torque that allows the 3,480 mm long mini to achieve a top speed of 130 km/h (80mph).

The four-seater EV has an operating range of 130 kilometers or 80 miles on a single charge of its lithium-ion batteries that can be fully recharged in six hours using a domestic mains power supply. If you use the fast charge system, the batteries can be recharged up to 80% capacity within thirty minutes.

Production of both the Citroen and Peugeot variants of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV will commence in October 2010 with sales pegged to start in Europe towards the end of 2010.

We remind you that the PSA Peugeot - Citroen Group has another ongoing project with Mitsubishi in the form of the Outlander based Peugeot 4007 and Citroen C-Crosser SUVs.