Mitsubishi to lease iMiEV from July
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2nd June, 2010
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation’s global president, Osamu Masuko,
today announced the company would supply i-MiEV electric vehicles to Australia. Marking his first official
visit to Australia, Masuko confirmed Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) will be the first company to
release vehicle manufacturer produced electric vehicles in this country.
Masuko claimed the development of the i-MiEV placed Mitsubishi as the front-runner in electric vehicle
technology.
“The i-MiEV has been attracting a lot of attention in Australia, and I am pleased to announce that we can
now confirm additional vehicles will be arriving here in the next few months.”
“This announcement will ensure that we will be number one in bringing the electric vehicle to
Australia,”
Masuko said.
The initial shipments of the i-MiEV electric vehicles are scheduled for arrival in Australia in July and
August, and will initially include 40 vehicles for Australian distribution. The vehicles will be offered to
customers under a leasing agreement, starting from July onwards.
According to MMAL’s CEO and President, Masahiko Takahashi, the vehicles will find no shortage of potential
owners on local shores.
“Over the last twelve months we have conducted feasibility trials with potential electric vehicle
customers, such as local, state and federal government bodies, and major fleet operators, and the reaction has
been overwhelmingly positive,” Takahashi said.
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Released in Japan in July 2009 and Hong Kong in May 2010, the i-MiEV, which stands for Mitsubishi
innovative Electric Vehicle, is one of the world’s first truly viable zero drive-time emission city commuters
in volume production.
International interest in the vehicle has been considerable and the Mitsubishi i-MiEV has undergone
feasibility studies in several countries around the world and more recently in Australia.
Utilising a large-capacity lithium-ion battery system and a compact, high-output electric motor in place
of a traditional petrol power train (based on Japanese and European trial figures) the i-MiEV has some
impressive technical specifications for a zero drive-time emissions vehicle.
Producing 47 kW of power and 180 Nm of instant torque, the i-MiEV’s permanent magnet synchronous engine is
supported by a revolutionary lithium-ion battery from Lithium Energy Japan.
The i-MiEV’s electric motor is smaller, produces more torque at low revolutions and is quieter than a
similarly-powered turbocharged petrol engine (according to MMC in-house tests). Most importantly, the i-MiEV’s
engine is cleaner, producing zero drive-time CO2 emissions.
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