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Mitsubishi Proceeds With Electric i

Little i Could Change The Power Supply For Future Electric Vehicles

After a period of dormancy, electric vehicles are starting to regain their standing in the automotive world. Prompted by the current issue of fuel prices, global warming, and the documentary, Who Killed the Electric Car?, the electric auto industry seems to be springing back into action. Various firms have announced their intent on creating electric vehicles, from Teslas Lotus Elise-based sports car,

Hoping to making things a little easier on the planet, Mitsubishi preps i MiEV for testing. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

to this, the fourth phase of Mitsubishis electric vehicle program.

Mitsubishi has committed a great deal of its energy towards developing a new kind of electric vehicle with its MiEV program, which stands for Mitsubishi in-wheel

Standard rear-mounted inline-three gasoline engine replaced by electric components. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

Electric Vehicle. As the name implies, the electric motors that power the car are located inside the wheels. This system is different than almost every other kind of electric vehicle, and Mitsubishi is banking on its R&D to give it an advantage in the market.

The latest Mitsubishi model to make the conversion to electrical power is its i, a truly futuristic looking micro-sized

i a natural candidate for electric power. Just look at it! (Photo: Mitsubishi)

kei car that is on sale in Japan and Europe. Its organic, outer-space styling definitely reflects its unusual rear-engine, rear-wheel drive layout. We like to think of it as a four-door, four-seater smart fortwo.

The i MiEV is different than any previous MiEV; instead of using the in-wheel motors, the i has one single DC motor that powers the rear wheels. The new electric motor, battery pack and generators occupy the place of the original drivetrain components so there is no impact on the cars cabin or cargo volume.

i MiEV can be charged via a normal household plug, or a special quick-charger. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

The electric motor is a 47 kW unit that produces 63 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque, which is fed by a 330-volt battery pack capable of providing a range of between 80 to 100 miles, and if range is not a concern, a top speed of 80 mph.

But the nitty-gritty of the is pure electric drivetrain is just one of several points of interest with this vehicle. The is real purpose is to collect data from real-world tests conducted through company fleets, but the selected firms arent ordinary; theyre electricity and power supply companies. In exchange for the vehicles, Mitsubishi is hoping to come up with a solution to one of the biggest problems with electric vehicles,

No worries, the original MiEV vehicles, such as this Lancer EVO will continue to be developed. (Photo: Mitsubishi)

namely keeping them charged.

Trial vehicles such as GMs EV1 were equipped with an at-home power charging station, which was effective if its driver always returned home as there were few public places to charge the vehicle. Mitsubishi hopes that by working with these utility companies it will be able to create an infrastructure of public charging stations; its far easier for an electric company to do this, than for an automotive manufacturer.

For those who were intrigued by the idea of the in-wheel electric motor, dont worry as Mitsubishi is still continuing its research and development on that propulsion method. In the meantime, if tests with the i are successful, the company will remain on track to produce its first electric production vehicle by 2010.

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