THE MITSUBISHI i-MiEV – THE UK’S FIRST CHOICE ELECTRIC VEHICLE

• Phoenix Mitsubishi are one of the first dealerships to have the i-MiEV
• First manufacturer ever to mass-produce an electric vehicle (full on-line production started in July 2009)
• First manufacturer to fully test an electric vehicle in real world conditions with real customers – over 12 months experience with 2,300 vehicles on the road in Japan, plus 50 on the road in the UK
• First to announce UK pricing and specifications
• First to take customer orders for UK deliveries in 2011
• First to offer a full demonstrator programme for all customers through its Electric Vehicle Centre in Central London
• First to offer a fleet demonstrator programme
• First to offer customers the chance to take advantage of the Government’s £5,000 consumer incentive

Price Realignment

Mitsubishi Motors in the UK is pleased to announce that it has reduced the i-MiEV’s launch pricing to £28,990 for orders placed for delivery from January 1^st 2011. This coincides with the UK Government’s recently confirmed consumer incentive of £5,000 – which means customers will only have to pay £23,990.[1]

This price realignment signals Mitsubishi Motors’ global intentions to remain first in the promotion and establishment of the early electric vehicle market, Lance Bradley, Mitsubishi Motors in the UK’s Managing Director asserted that:

“The i-MiEV will remain first in all respects. We have been first in almost every aspect of the UK’s EV market for the last 2 to 3 years and we’re not going to give up that position easily. The electric vehicle is now a reality, with all our cars being European Whole Type Vehicle Approved. With a Mitsubishi Motors electric vehicle, customers need not compromise in any area.

What is more, our car is perfect for urban driving. It has been designed deliberately as a small, compact, true city car with the ability to nip in and out of traffic and park in the tightest of spaces.”

Proven in Real-World UK Trials

Over 2,300 i-MiEVs have been operating on Japanese roads since full production started in July 2009 – making Mitsubishi Motors the first manufacturer to mass-produce an electric vehicle in the world.

The i-MiEV has been proving its reliability and usefulness on the UK’s roads since 2007, and has been involved in official government end-user trials since mid-December 2009 with customers in the Coventry and Birmingham area. Some of the key findings of the trial are highly relevant to prospective purchasers of the i-MiEV.

The i-MiEVs have been used like a typical UK driver in a petrol or diesel engine car with the majority of journeys are less than five miles. Interestingly, this is when conventional car engines are just warming up and are at their most polluting, and catalytic converters are at their least effective. The average daily mileage has been just 23 miles, which is well within the i-MiEV’s 90 mile range, and drivers use the entire speed range of the car, showing they are happy to drive at motorway speeds when required.[2]

Fashion, Technology and the Environment

The petrol i-car, upon which the i-MiEV is based, has won numerous awards for its funky, youthful, energetic design.[3] In the local UK market, this is sure to appeal to customers for whom the latest technology, environmental considerations, and making a definite fashion statement are at the top of their shopping lists.

The i-MiEVs will all be offered with a range of bespoke accessories to help each car fit the “personality” of its owner – from roof and wing mirror graphics to enhanced audio / MP3 options, leather interiors and environmentally friendly accessories.

Price and Incentives

In addition to this price reduction, the ultra-low running costs of the i-MiEV are a key advantage over other cars, with additional incentives including:

• Only £144 fuel costs for 12,000 miles driving (£0.96 pence for a full charge – 16kW at an average of 6p per kW)
• Low servicing costs and downtime – only approximately 4 working parts compared to over 300 in a typical internal combustion engine
• Exempt from road tax
• First year capital allowances for fleet vehicles
• Zero benefit-in-kind company car tax
• Exempt from London Congestion Charge
• Free parking in some London boroughs and cities such as Milton Keynes
• Expected high residual values due to high demand outstripping supply for several years to come

UKSpecification

The days of the ‘milk float’ mentality are truly over as the following specification proves.

Vital Statistics:

• Zero CO₂ tailpipe emissions
• Top speed 81 mph
• Range 90 miles (EU combined mode)
• Seating capacity – 4 adults, plus luggage
• Kerb weight – 1,110 KG
• Dimensions – 3,475 mm (l) x 1,475 mm (w) x 1,610 mm (h)
• 5-year 62,500 mile warranty for main battery and EV components, 8 year anti-corrosion perforation warranty and 3-year pan-European roadside, home and accident assistance
• The i-MiEV comes complete with 12-month / 12,500 mile service intervals, and for just £300 including VAT the customer gains 3-years / 37,500 servicing under the Mitsubishi Service Plan (MSP).

Mechanical:

• 49kW AC permanent magnet synchronous motor (max power)
• 1-speed fixed gear
• Front MacPherson strut and coil spring suspension
• Rear 3-link de Dion suspension
• Front stabiliser bars
• Front 14" ventilated disc brakes, rear 8" drum brakes
• 9" master vac brake boosters
• Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD)
• Brake assist
• Active Stability Control (ASC)

Exterior:

• Alloy wheels
• All-round ‘green’ glass
• Front fog lamps with daytime running lamps
• Colour-keyed front bumper
• Projector type halogen headlamps with levelling device
• Variable intermittent windshield wiper and washers
• Foldable and electronically controlled door mirrors
• Rear combi LED lamps with clear glass
• Colour-keyed rear bumper with rear fog lamp
• Roof Spoiler with high-mount stop lamp
• Tailgate intermittent wiper and washer

Interior:

• All-round electric windows
• Central door locking with keyless entry
• Driver’s and front passenger’s SRS front airbags
• Heated driver’s seat and wing mirrors
• Side and curtain air bags
• Stereo AM / FM radio with CD player with front 2 main speakers and 2 tweeters
• 3-spoke leather wrapped steering wheel
• Leather wrapped shift knob
• Headlamp levelling device
• Odometer and twin trip and remaining driving range meter
• EV system check warning indicator
• Activation complete buzzer and indicator
• Battery remaining indicator
• Dusk sensor
• Glove box with card holder
• Instrument panel secret box (above glove box)
• Front cup holders (floor console, front of the passenger)
• Manual air conditioner with deodorant filter
• Front passenger air bag cut off switch
• Active Stability Control (ASC) on / off switch

EV Functions:

• Brakeforce regeneration
• Lightweight electronic power steering
• On-board recharging system with cable (flat-to-full in 9-hours, 240V 13 A input)
• On-board rapid charging system (flat-to-80% in 30 minutes)