Mitsubishi may not be known as an EV innovator here in the States, but the brand has a history of dabbling in small, electrically powered cars back in Japan. In 2009, the automaker rolled out the electrified version of its i micro car, called the i-MiEV, in its home market. A year later, the i-MiEV made it to Europe. Now, it's finally our turn, and Mitsubishi has simplified the name and blown up the car's proportions to suit American tastes. But even with the changes, is the U.S. ready for a small, underpowered, and range-limited EV? No matter which side of the fence you're on regarding the future of transportation, electric cars are here -- and it's our job to test them. So test the Mitsubishi i we did.
Known here as the Mitsubishi i (powered by MiEV technology), the U.S.-spec version gets a stretched body that's 4.3 inches wider and 8 inches longer than its Japanese and European counterparts. To turn a standard, non-electrified i into an EV, an electric motor producing 66 hp and 145 lb-ft of torque replaces the gasoline engine above the rear axle, while a 16-kWh lithium-ion battery pack - the same one found in the Chevy Volt - resides beneath the floor, along with a motor control unit. A simple, single-speed direct-drive transmission sends power to the rear wheels. For range estimates, Mitsubishi chose to go with the EPA's measurement standard. As such, the i is rated at 62 miles to a charge, though the unadjusted range is 98 miles. While the basic ingredients of the i may not sound too different from the other all-electric offering in the U.S. market, the Nissan Leaf, how Mitsubishi carries out that recipe is where the differences lie.
With regards to how the i looks on the outside and feels on the inside, among the MT staffers there were more than a few comparisons to a golf cart. With the i's bubbly, cartoonish exterior design and bare-bones interior (even in our range-topping SE model), it's easy to see how one might liken the car to something less than road-worthy. Even the doors, at first, seemed like a parody of ones you might find on some other cars - so light, I felt like Superman when opening them from the outside.
Even though first impressions are critically important, spending a few hours in the i strengthened my confidence in the diminutive EV as a (barely) capable road-going car. Elbow room is adequate for both driver and passenger in the front seats, and while the lack of a center armrest is a bit of an annoyance, it also means no one has to fight over it. Though the driver's seat is plenty adjustable, it was difficult to find a comfortable position. Perhaps that was because of the unusual height of the floor - likely due to the battery pack housed underneath. Whatever it was, my legs were always bent at an awkward angle.
A simplified instrument cluster and center console present the driver with the bare minimum of controls. A digital display at the center of the gauges does a good enough job of relaying the car's speed, and the battery life meter looks much more like a conventional fuel gauge than the one in the Nissan Leaf, referred to by some as the "guessometer." The three modes provided by the gear selector, "D," "Eco," and "B," are each intended to optimize driving performance for a given situation. "Eco" mode was fine in the city, where it best preserves battery range. But when I needed adequate acceleration, I had to shift it into "D" if I wanted to go anywhere with any sort of urgency. "B" mode was the hardest to get used to, as it turned the i into a Disneyland Autopia car, where letting off the accelerator slowed the car down significantly. Unlike the theme park car, in this case it's the motor that's doing the braking, capturing the energy and charging the battery. This feature was useful when coasting down long grades, but perhaps a bit too jerky to use comfortably in everyday driving.
Though the i exhibited acceptable road manners on the street, our testing showed the little Mitsu isn't really suited for much more than basic commuter duty. From a standstill, the i hit 60 mph in 13.4 seconds. The Nissan Leaf SL hits that speed in 9.6 seconds, while the Chevy Volt hits it in 8.8 seconds. Granted, those two cars aren't direct competitors for the i, but comparisons among them are bound to be made. A much better foil for the i is the Smart Fortwo Electric Drive - a car we've yet to test - which will occupy the A-segment along with the i when it eventually hits the U.S. market as more than just a limited lease special. The quarter mile came in 19.4 seconds for the i, at 71.1 mph. The Leaf completes that distance in 17.4 seconds at 78.8 mph, and the Volt in 16.9 seconds at 81.9 mph. When it came time to slow the i down, the 10.1-inch front disc brakes and 8-inch rear drums brought the car to a halt from 60 mph in 132 feet. The Leaf stops 3 feet shorter, at 129 feet, while the Volt needs just 119 feet.
The pint-sized EV completed our figure-eight test in 30.2 seconds at an average 0.51 g. The Leaf and Volt didn't fare that much better, both posting times of 28.4 seconds at 0.57 g and 0.59 g, respectively. Lateral acceleration for the i was also in line with its EV contemporaries, at 0.71 g, compared to the Leaf's 0.79 g and the Volt's 0.78 g. Still, handling is where the Mitsubishi received the lowest marks from staffers. Testing director Kim Reynolds called it "tippy," and also noted "some rear-end instability under braking." Regarding the i's handling ability, associate editor Scott Evans said, "I thought I knew understeer. Now I know understeer."
No, the i won't make a good weekend racer, nor is it a candidate for anything other than its intended purpose as a city commuter. But for most budget- and green-conscious car shoppers, that may be OK. Those are exactly the customers Mitsubishi is hoping to attract with the i. Priced to undercut the Nissan Leaf by a fair margin, the i starts at $29,125, not including destination. Once the $7500 federal tax credit is factored in, that price comes to $21,625. If you live in a state that offers other tax credits, the cost of an i could ring up below the $20K mark. Even though those savings wouldn't be seen until after tax season, the low cost of entry after incentives could be enough to draw customers that wouldn't normally consider an EV, but would if the price was right and it fit into their lifestyle. Hopefully for Mitsubishi, those customers exist, because the i's success more or less depends on them.
According to Mitsubishi's PR reps, 11,000 i-MiEVs have already been sold abroad. While that could be a good indication that the i will achieve similar numbers in the U.S., the car likely didn't have to fight the same uphill battle it's faced with here in Europe and Japan, regions that have had tiny, A-Segment cars running around for years. Mitsubishi has pushed the boundaries of electric vehicles in the past, and it's certainly done the same with the i. The question is, has it pushed those boundaries a little too far for U.S. audiences? Perhaps the answer lies in associate editor Scott Evans' assessment of the i: "It works, but is that enough?" Time will tell.
