2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEv An Electrifying Review By Larry Nutson +VIDEO
Mitsubishi i-MiEv
Never visit a gas station again!
By Larry Nutson
Senior Editor, Chicago Bureau
The Auto Channel
The scheduling of test drives in manufacturer’s press cars is done weeks in advance. I was more than thrilled when Mitsubishi’s car-handler in Chicago called to say they could give me drive-time in the pure electric Mitsubishi i-MiEv. Making things better yet, the car would be delivered on a trailer so I would have a full battery charge at the start.
![]() |
![]() |
![]() |
This zero tailpipe emission i Miev makes use of a 49 kW AC synchronous electric motor (66 bhp), an 88-cell 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack and includes an on-board battery charger. The vehicle’s batteries can be recharged in approximately 22 hours by the included 120v Level 1 portable charging cable, 7 hours by a dedicated 240v Level 2 EVSE charger, and receive an 80% charge in under 30 minutes from a public Level 3 quick charging station via the optional charging port.
![]() |
I drove my Mitsubishi i-MiEv test car down to 11 miles remaining of driving range. Chicago has a very significant charging station infrastructure initiative and by looking at the Charge Point Network (www.chargepointportal.net) it is easy to locate public charging stations. A Level 2 charging station was located at a nearby Whole Foods parking garage so off I went to recharge. I plugged in, connected and activated the charger. I returned after 2 1/2 hours of charging and the driving range was now at 41 miles.
Watch the iMiEV promo video
In my view an EV cannot be your only vehicle; it can be one of the vehicles in a multiple-vehicle household. However, for the city-dweller who uses public transportation for their weekday commute and wants a car for a few weekend errands, an EV might just work out as an only car… but forget about taking any weekend road trip with it. I’m also convinced you must have your own garage and a Level 2 charger, which can cost about $2500 in itself. I would be continuously plugging-in to recharge to be sure I had max-driving range always available. (And what if there is a power outage?)
![]() |
Let me lastly touch on the oft-touted $7500 Federal Tax Credit. EV manufacturers are all-too-quick to tell you the car price after the credit. Well, it’s not a discount, not a rebate, but a credit on your Federal total tax liability. This means you have to pay the full price up-front and then you must have a tax liability equal to or greater than the $7500 credit to get it back. Then you need to figure out how to apply this money to your current car payment! There is discussion to change this credit so it can be taken by the seller, but experts tell me that won’t happen, if at all, before the November Presidential election. There are various incentives from local states, so check things out thoroughly.
The Mitsubishi i-MiEv was launched in November and is sold by about 400 dealers in the U.S. The i Miev has made Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com "10 Best Green Cars of 2012" list. If you can take full advantage of tax credits the i Miev certainly is affordable. If your expectations are met by what the i Miev is designed to do, it will satisfy as a city car.
Can you drive on Electric Avenue?
© Larry Nutson