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Home | Green Cars News | Electric | Mitsubishi iMiEV Electric Car Goes on Sale from July 31

Mitsubishi iMiEV Electric Car Goes on Sale from July 31

23 July, 2009 12:59:00

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Mitsubishi Motors will begin accepting orders from retail customers in Japan for iMiEV electric cars on July 31.

The company will also start delivering the cars to corporate customers from today and ship to individual customers from April next year.

With a pricetag of about $49,000 in mind, Mitsubishi plans to sell a total of 5,000 of the iMiEV electric cars domestically in fiscal 2010.

The company president Osamu Masuko said Mitsubishi will lose money on the car for the first couple of years. But the iMiEV should turn a profit when annual volume of 30,000 units is achieved.

The iMiEV's battery pack consists of 22 modules, each one consisting of four cells that can be installed in either a vertical or transverse position under the i MiEV's floor. The i MiEV's onboard charger automatically adapts between a standard 110 outlet - which takes 12-14 hours - or half that time on 220. There is also a fast charge connector that allows the battery to reach 80 percent of capacity in just 30 minutes.

The proprietary lithium-ion batteries are purpose-built for automotive applications. It is produced by Lithium Energy Japan , a joint venture among GS Yuasa, Mitsubishi Corporation and Mitsubishi Motors.

Announced in October 2006, the iMiEV represents the pinnacle of Mitsubishi Motors' green technologies. Currently involved in testing and promotional activities in Japan, New Zealand, Hong Kong, the United States and across Europe.

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