Inside, it’s roomier than you would think, partly because the battery pack is under the seats, with a compact 47 Kw electric motor behind it that drives the rear wheels. So you can accurately call the MiEV a rear-wheel drive vehicle!
More importantly, it is powered by an advanced Lithium-ion battery, smaller, lighter and more powerful than the nickel metal hydride batteries which power other electric vehicles. The lighter weight helps improve its top speed, which is a pretty impressive 81mph, not that I could drive 81 mph in downtown LA.
The MiEV pricetag? Around $30,000, which is pretty pricey for a four-seater.
Right now, it is available in Japan only, but Mitsubishi plans to bring it to the US in 2010 — which is when General Motors is planning to launch its long-awaited plug-in Chevrolet Volt.
Nissan also has a similar small plug-in electric car, the Nissan LEAF, now on national tour before it goes on sale in the U.S. in 2020.
It’s not an EV world yet, but the responsive little Mitsubishi MiEV and the Nissan LEAF will go a long way to make it one.
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