One of the most innovative electric sports cars by Mitsubishi, the i-MIEV Sport, was just shown off at the Tokyo Motor Show. This cute and sporty beetle-esque electric car comes with optional photovoltaics for solar power, and will be powered by a pack of Li-ions that will allow drivers to go about 100 miles before needing to recharge. While concept electric vehicles are released every year that never make it into production, this snappy little vehicle gives us hope for the future, because it will go into production in 2009.
And then, there’s the way in which the vehicle gets power. Sure, it is an in-wheel motored, plug-in vehicle, a technology which is gaining traction from most auto makers. But the i-MIEV also comes equipped with an auxiliary photovoltaic generator on the roof, a power generating fan inside the front grill and is also able to recharge its lithium battery when the car brakes, recuperating wasted energy.
Whether or not this vehicle is what ends up on the road in 2009 remains to be seen. But it appears that Misubishi, at least in principle is commited to thinking slightly outside the box.
+ i-MIEV @ Mitsubishi Motors
+ Japan’s Mitsubishi Motors aims to launch i-MiEV electric car in 2009
via Engadget
Hi! Your report rocks and is actually a quite excellent recognize
It’s too bad we will never see this car in the states, man I think it’s about time I move!
Unfortunately the 2009 i-MIEV did not come with motors in all 4 wheels as originally planned. They used one centralized motor in the back. For maximum electrical efficiency 1 motor per wheel is ideal but they most likely ran up against cost/engineering problems with using 4 motors.
Jason
http://www.ecodirect.com
[...] other day now that a car company announces a new concept that is redefining what it means to be an environmentally friendly vehicle. However, when Toyota says it, we tend to take a closer look. It was Toyota, after all, that [...]
Toyota is working on a hybrid race car also, it seems like the whole car industry is moving towards “green” But this one is WAY cool because of the PV cells on top of the cars roof, it takes efficeny to a new level. Mitsubishi has come up with some innovative ways to turn un-used assets into power generating assets.
-Deep Patel
http://www.gogreensolar.com
I do remember a similar looking EV Mitusbishi were parading back in 2005. They mentioned production was likely by 2007 at the time. Now they’re saying 2009?
I’d suggest taking this big PR exercise with a grain of salt.
will it be released in the united states?
if so how much would one cost?
Mitsubishi does build cars in the US in normal, IL and I for one will have one if not two in my garage. To stick it to the oil companies that have been sticking it to me!!!!
[...] Inhabitat, Engaget This entry was posted on Sunday, November 11th, 2007 at 1:33 pm. You can find it under [...]
Adorable little car. I’m glad that despite the skeptics, photovoltaics are starting to appear on vehicles. Yes, the PVs will never be sufficient to power the car by themselves, but when are people going to get that every little power savings helps? Every power-hungry activity we engage in should draw from a mutual fund of power opportunities. Fantastic.
I love it. Not so much the color, but then they are trying to show their greenness. The design is very nice, I have loved bugs for the longest time. It’s not a design everybody likes, but it’s been the most popular car for years, so what do they know? The 100 mile range is just fine. Add a hitch to this and you can trailer a small generator for really long trips! There goes the range problem out the window. For every other day, the range fits me perfectly. Of course lets see the price, I can’s afford a Tesla you know.
Hopefully the road car will retain a lot of the show car looks.
This sounds quite promising! I love that it combines different methods to save, recover and collect energy. And it looks great too! But yes, I agree, what will the price be?
Yea what they dont tell you is the price, Li-ions cost an arm, a leg and your firstborn, im skeptical until i see the price tag with my own two eyes.
why 4 motors? isn’t a single motor better? or does it just mean there are more parts to break, so the company can sell more motors whenever you hit a big pot-hole. love the concept, but put in a single motor and i am more likely to buy.
” Carl Fiorica Says:”"
November 6th, 2007 at 1:30 pm
Finally! I have been waiting for this car to come to fruition! This car has “4 motors” (one in each wheel) it will improve on efficiency of electric cars and provide an all-wheel drive car. Plus the other enviro-friendly features,..this car will be one of a kind.
Hey Carl Fiorican!!
Check your Facts!!!!!!
Permanent magnetic synchronous motors
Front: In-wheel motors
Rear: Single motor
so therefore it does not have a motor in each wheel
http://media.mitsubishi-motors.com/pressrelease/e/motorshow/detail1673.html
It’s nice to see a car company actually taking the initiative to bring one to production. Perhaps if the US car companies actually listened to the public they wouldn’t be in such dire straights. I just hope they aren’t yanking our chain on this, I for one will buy one for my daily commute.
Looks sweet, I’d buy it, assuming it doesn’t cost any more than a Civic.
Hey, um, am I the only one who thinks this thing looks like the automotive equivalent of a Pug? And what of aerodynamics? If it’s anything like a VW Bug, it’s a brick on the highway. Tell me – does it only come in pastel colors ? (Simpson’s reference).
I’ll keep using biodiesel until I can afford a Tesla.
Thats nice, I hope they use better battery technology before they hit the market. Tesla, phoenix and others are getting 250 – 400 miles per charge. Funny thing is GM is saying that the “battery technology” isn’t there yet and that their first latest electric car will only go 47 miles??? wtf? How full of shit can you get before the media calls you on it? — er .. ok so their isn’t a bullshit limit but honestly do they think were morons ? er .. ok nvm I’ll just leave now.
[...] fiction nothing real, nothing we can drive, finally Mitsubishi give us a hope, by announcing i-MIEV, [...]
Um, can you say DEATH TRAP?
[...] beetle-esque electric car comes with optional photovoltaics for solar power, and will be powered byread more | digg [...]
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The more the merrier
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The car in the picture is not coming to the market in 2009. The picture is of the i-Miev Sport. The regular i-Miev which doesn’t come with a solar roof and which looks a little different is the first one coming. Hopefully, this will come eventually.
Wow thats a sweet looking ride. It sorta looks like a VW bug on steroids. This is why I don’t mind the high gas prices because we will see many more clean green steroid bug looking machines coming out in the next few years!
AlienFarmer
http://www.SolarCoupons.com
hmm crash course brings up an interesting side-effect of green cars. i suppose living near a freeway won’t be so bad in the future, either.
Finally! I have been waiting for this car to come to fruition! This car has 4 motors (one in each wheel) it will improve on efficiency of electric cars and provide an all-wheel drive car. Plus the other enviro-friendly features,..this car will be one of a kind.
Looks good to me but having almost been knocked down by a Prius traveling in stealth mode I think we’re all going to have to stop relying on our ears to keep us safe while walking in cities…
Looks cool to me. What, if anything, makes it a sports car though? I could see it as a cool city car or commuter vehicle, but nothing about it looks overtly performance oriented.