
As part of its electric vehicle testing and evaluation strategy, the ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles (eTV) program acquired two fully electric Mitsubishi i-MiEVs. Electric vehicles like the i-MiEV can help reduce the environmental impacts from road transportation. They operate entirely on electricity, burn no gasoline or diesel fuel and produce no "tailpipe" greenhouse gas emissions or pollution.
Electric vehicles are also quite efficient and inexpensive to operate. The average cost to completely "charge" the i-MiEV is approximately $2 dollars. That means that you can drive 100 kilometres for about $1.50 in "fuel" costs.
Mitsubishi Motors has built the fully electric i-MiEV based on its current "i minicar" platform. The i-MiEV has been sold as a full production vehicle in Japan since Fall 2009. Production for the North American market will start in 2011.
The i-MiEV contains several innovative technologies, including high-capacity lithium-ion batteries and a high-performance compact motor, among others. The only cost of powering this vehicle is the electricity required to charge the batteries. Charging can be done on any standard household 110 or 220-volt outlet.
The i-MiEV's electric motor provides exceptional torque at very low speeds. This allows the vehicle to accelerate quickly and quietly. The vehicle's lithium-ion battery packs are stored under the passenger compartment to maximize passenger and cargo space. With a range of up to 120 kilometres (75 miles), the i-MiEV could be a viable option for people who commute daily in urban or suburban neighbourhoods.
The eTV program will be testing the i-MiEV in real-world Canadian road conditions, with a particular focus on cold-weather operations. We will also be evaluating energy consumption and range at various states of charge as well as performance during dynamic testing such as acceleration and handling.
| Production Vehicle | |
|---|---|
| Weight and Measurements | |
| Weight | 1,080 kg / 2,381 lb |
| Length | 3.4 m / 134 in |
| Width | 1.6 m / 63 in |
| Height | 1.4 m / 55 in |
| Power Train | |
| Drive Type | Rear-wheel |
| Electric Motor | Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor |
| Transmission | Integrated single speed direct drive |
| Maximum Torque | 180 Nm / 133 lb-ft |
| Power | 47 kW / 63 hp |
| Battery | |
| Type | Lithium-ion |
|
Voltage |
330 V |
| Capacity | 16 kWh |
| Recharging Time |
7 hrs / 200V / 15A 14 hrs / 110V / 15A |
| Fuel Efficiency | |
| Fuel Type | Electricity |
| Driving Range |
120 km / 75 mi |
| Performance | |
| Top Speed | 130 km/h / 81 mph |
| CO2 Emissions | 0 g/km ("tailpipe") |
| Chassis | |
| Brakes | Disc (Front and Rear) |
| Seating Capacity | 4 |
| eTV Fleet Information | |
| Date Acquired | April 2010 |
| Current Status | Test Vehicle |