Mitsubishi aims to slash i-MiEV price by 2012

Mitsubishi is aiming to cut the price of its electric i-MiEV model to just 2 million yen (equivalent to just £14,820) by 2012, Japanese publication Nikkei reports today.

The electric car model has been criticised for its very high price tag of £38,699 including VAT-this compares to just £28,350 for its main rival- the Nissan Leaf.

While both models will benefit from price-reducing grants and incentives in countries including the UK, US and Japan, the i-MiEV remains nonetheless much more expensive than its larger, more family-friendly rival.

But today, the Japanese firm hit back, claiming that it expects the price can be cut by nearly half within the nest two years as the scales of economy tip in its favour. Price cuts will come to make the model more competitive with hybrids while mass production of lithium ion batteries, the most expensive component of an electric vehicle, will help lower costs sharply.

An unnamed source at Mitsubishi told Nikkei that the electric model, originally priced at 4.59 million yen when it was unveiled last July, will effectively sell for 2 million yen after factoring in government subsidies.

Likewise, in the UK the i-MiEV is expected to benefit from Government grants of £5,000 to reduce its price to just under £34,000.

Mitsubishi ASX car review

Priced from £14,999 to £22,049 it’s competitively positioned, and being a Mitsubishi the level of equipment available is good, even with the entry-level ASX 2 trim level.

The Mitsubishi ASX is available with a 115bhp 1.6-litre petrol or 147bhp 1.8-litre DiD turbodiesel engine, the latter getting two- or four-wheel drive. Of the two, it’s the diesel engine which offers the best performance and most advanced technology.

Mitsubishi-developed diesel

It’s the world’s first diesel car fitted with variable valve timing, a technology pioneered in petrol engines. The result is a 1.8-litre motor with the power of a bigger engine. And it performs as well in the real world as it does on paper, with a quiet and smooth power delivery and willingness to rev.

In fourth gear in particular the 1.8-litre DiD ASX has a surprising turn of speed, making overtakes quick and safe. It reaches 62mph from a standstill in 9.7 seconds (10 for the 4×4) and has a top speed of 124mph.

It also manages 51.4mpg (49.6 for the four-wheel drive) and emits 145g/km of CO2 (or 150g/km). The petrol engine can achieve 47.1mpg while emitting 138g/km of CO2.

Mitsubishi has worked hard on improving economy and the ASX is fitted with stop and start technology, regenerative braking, low-consumption lights, low rolling-resistance tyres, electric power steering and uses low viscosity engine oil. And, while it might not look it, it’s also one of the most aerodynamic small SUVs on the market.

2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT

New for the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT is a three-mode (Tarmac, Snow and Lock), adjustable all-wheel-drive (S-AWC in Mitsu-speak) system derived from the Lancer Evolution. This uses a first-in-class active front differential and an electronic center diff to swap power fore, aft, port and starboard to offer unparalleled &mash; at least in the crossover segment — traction and stability. The Outlander still has magnesium shift paddles and aluminum pedals. It's still got a strong 3.0-liter V6, keyless entry and ignition, and a totally bitchin' (if awkwardly named) Flap-Folding Tailgate for our cameramen to shoot from.

The new stuff for 2010 includes a revised, full-color multi-information display that replaces the red dot-matrix display that cursed the old car. The stereo has also been bolstered by the addition of a USB input with iPod connectivity via a hands-free system that also handles Bluetooth calling. (Don't worry, though; the yellow/white/red plugs are still available.) The Rockford Fosgate stereo has also been turned up to 11 now, pumping out an additional 60 watts of boom for a total of 710 watts through eight speakers and a 10-inch subwoofer. And while our 2007 Mitsubishi Outlander had a 30GB music storage system, Mitsubishi's now added some extra there for the 2010 Outlander, so we've got 40GB.

Mitsubishi's 3.0-liter V6 with variable valve timing has been upgraded as well. The engine now makes 230 hp at 6,250 rpm and 215 pound-feet of torque at 3,750 rpm. Thanks to the 2010 Outlander's incorporation of Mitsubishi's new auto-neutral feature that disengages the transmission when the computers feel that freewheeling is more fuel-efficient, the new SUV's EPA ratings have improved, but only by 1 mpg across the board — 18 mpg city, 24 mpg highway and 20 mpg combined.

But as much as we appreciate any bump in power, we have to keep in mind for the duration of this test that the Toyota RAV4 can be equipped with a 269-hp V6. It's one thing to look fast and point out one's rally heritage, but it's another thing altogether to get smoked off the line by Sam Soccer-dad in a Toyota. Is the existence of the 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT justified on looks and handling alone?

Mitsubishi to cut prices of its i-MiEV electric car

Mitsubishi i-MiEV

In order to capitalize on the growing popularity of lower priced cars, Mitsubishi is aiming to lower the price of its electric vehicles to $21,890 by 2012; that is 30% below current prices. The main contributing component to the price of the cars is the Li batteries, of which mass production is expected to lower the costs significantly.

Mitsubishi has a plant coming online in April of 2012, which will produce 70,000 units per year, cutting battery costs to less than 1 million yen per vehicle, from 2.5 million yen. A spokesman for the company has said that Mitsubishi aims to reduce the price of its i-MiEV electric car by lowering output costs, but a time frame has not yet been set.

Mitsubishi has announced a starting price for the car in Germany of about 48,000 euros, or $59,390. The company is also set however, to build versions of the car for its partner PSA/Peugeot-Citroen, which has said that the vehicles will retail for about 35,000 euros before incentives, and less than 30,000 after incentives.

Mitsubishi to slash electric-car price: report

Japanese auto maker Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (JP:7211 118.00, +2.00, +1.72%) /quotes/comstock/11i!mmtof (MMTOF 1.23, -0.05, -3.91%) will cut the cost of its electric car to about 2 million yen ($22,000) by 2012, according to a report Friday. Mitsubishi Motors will use savings from high-volume production of the batteries for its i-MiEV car to lower the vehicle's price by some 30% when government subsidies are included, the Nikkei business daily said in an unsourced report. The savings will be available once a new battery plant comes on line in April 2012, the report said.

2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT S First look

The 2010 Mitsubishi Outlander GT S AWC has just gotten better and by better we mean in the looks department for one.

Mitsubishi has given the 2010 Outlander the same aggressive front nose featured on the Lancer. At first glance one may think it is a jacked up Lancer on steroids. One may also question the power plant under the hood? Could the folks at Mitsubishi gone mad and placed the Lancer Evolution engine under the hood? Not quite but one can still dream at this point.

More specifically the Outlander GT S AWC we tested has a smooth and powerful V-6 under the hood, which is good for 230 hp at 6,250 rpm. Some other publications have tested the car 0-60 and revealed a time in the low 7’s, which means this Outlander GT-S, is no slouch.

Back to the thoughts on it’s brother car the Lancer Evolution: the Outlander GT S AWC also shares the same Super All Wheel Control System (S-AWC) found in the Lancer Evolution which means that this sporty crossover is more than capable of taking a few corners.

Mitsubishi i-Miev pioneers

Drive one of Mitsubishi's i-Miev electric cars from San Francisco to Sacramento. But there were two things wrong. No. 1, the i-Miev is based on Mitsubishi's i model, a Japanese Kei-class car designed for cities and not the length of high-speed freeway we would drive into California's Central Valley. No 2, it is 85 miles from San Francisco to Sacramento and Mitsubishi puts the i-Miev's best range at 80 miles.

We can solve one of these problems with a stop at a new Eaton rapid charger in Vacaville, about 55 miles outside of San Francisco. That charger should bring the i-Miev's batteries to an 80 percent charge in 25 minutes, reminding us that "rapid" is a relative term. Mitsubishi scheduled a lunch during the recharge stop, as five i-Mievs would need to take turns at the single charging station.

We were presented with a small number of i-Mievs, various test cars that had been brought over to California from Japan, all with right-hand drive. Our first lesson in right-hand drive is that you turn on the windshield wipers to signal a turn.