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First drives

Mitsubishi i-EV CAR review

05 October 2007 09:50

Just another pie-in-the-sky electric concept car, right?

Wrong, for two reasons. Firstly, we’ve driven it: CAR Online is the first to get behind the wheel of the Mitsubishi i-EV. Second, Mitsubishi reckons it can have it on sale in the UK as early as next year - though 2009 seem a safer bet – for under fifteen grand. That will buy you a properly engineered, four-seat city car with a decent boot, an 80mph top speed, a 100-mile range and a charge time of as little as half an hour.

What if I need to do more than 100 miles in a day?

Don’t buy it. But the vast majority of cars cover nothing like as much, and if Mitsu can bring the i-EV here for that price there will be so much interest from those whom the range suits, those with a second car and those who simply want to be seen to be green that the UK importers will sell every one they can get their hands on. And as we discovered, you won’t be deterred by its dynamics.

By: Ben Oliver
Click Thumbnails to Enlarge

Statistics

On sale in the UK: 2008
Engine: AC electric motor, 63bhp @ 6500rpm, 133lb ft
Transmission: None, rear-wheel drive
Performance: 14.0sec 0-60mph (est'd), 80mph
How heavy / made of? 1080kg/steel
How big (length/width/height in mm)? 3395/1475/1600
Need to know

CAR's rating

Rated 3 out of 5

Handling

Rated 3 out of 5

Performance

Rated 3 out of 5

Usability

Rated 3 out of 5

Feelgood factor

Rated 3 out of 5

Readers' rating

Rated 2.5 out of 5

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Average rating: Rated 2.5 out of 5 (5 votes)

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Mitsubishi i-EV CAR review

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andrewkelsey

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andrewkelsey says

RE: Mitsubishi i-EV CAR review

Can't think how I missed this in October. Nobody else has commented so maybe it was a busy month. Anyway, this is the future if they can make it work well and get it on the market for a sensible price. For a second car / city runabout why would you need anything more? Bye bye G-Wiz and good riddance!

02 September 2008 20:43

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