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Daox

Member
Joined
Mar 26, 2015
Messages
10
Location
Germantown, WI
Hello, I'm new here. I guess you could call me an efficient/small car enthusiast. I currently daily drive a 99 Chevy Metro. The wife's car is an 04 Prius. I'm also a hypermiler and ecomodder. The Prius had an enginer phev kit at once along with some other mods, and the Metro is modified for better fuel economy with a few bells and whistles too. I've helped a bunch of local guys build EVs through a EV car club, but I've never built my own car. I do have a old Simplicity riding mower that I did a lead acid conversion on a few years back that I absolutely love.

That being said, I'm quite interested in picking up a used iMiev. Their price is so ridiculously low that a DIY conversion (what I'd previously been looking into) is almost silly considering the amount of work needed to come out with a good reliable conversion.

Right now there is a 2012 about 20 miles from me with 12k miles on it for $10k. Seems pretty reasonable from my morning of browsing the forum.

I live in Wisconsin, so its not real hot here... ever. I have a few concerns with the iMiev, one being winter snow/ice driving with it being rwd. I've never driven rwd in snow or ice before. I know it has traction control, but how much of a pain is it?

I'm pretty interested in additional information as the display doesn't seem to give a lot of info to the driver. I see there are at least one or two canbus projects going on which is great stuff.

Thats about it for now. I'll keep browsing and searching. Just wanted to say hi.
 
Hi.

$9,000-$11,000 seems to be the price range right now, so $10K is pretty reasonable.

Not sure how cold Wisconsin gets in the winter, but traction-wise, the i-MiEV is excellent. I've now made it through two winters with no issues. The narrower tires, near 50/50 weight distribution, and a low center of gravity help the i-MiEV perform well on winter roads. The ASC does a very good job of keeping the i-MiEV under control, perhaps even too well at times. I did find if there is accumulated snow on the road, climbing hills could be hampered by ASC continually engaging traction control, although that situation was made much more difficult by a slow going driver that pulled out in front of me at the bottom of the hill. However, I'd still leave ASC enabled unless you need to spin the wheels (climbing an icy driveway for instance), as the i-MiEV can spin around pretty quickly if the rear wheels slip while turning (as would nearly any RWD car).

The thing with the i-MiEV and winter is cabin comfort. With an EV, there isn't much waste heat to recover, so cabin heater usage adds to the total energy usage of the car, reducing range. Luckily, with grid-powered pre-conditioning and the heated seats, cabin heat while underway isn't necessary for shorter trips. For instance, on all but the coldest days, I've managed the 20 minute drive to work using only the heated seat with a 30 minute pre-heat of the cabin. Some members here that live farther north have added diesel heaters to their cars to make it much more comfortable and increase the range.

Also, for the best battery life, use the slowest charging rate you can when temperatures are below freezing, as this prevents lithium plating and actually keeps the battery warmer, which helps extend the range and increase strength of the regenerative braking. By using level 1 instead of level 2 charging (120 volts vs. 240 volts), I was successful in keeping the battery pack above freezing on even 10 °F days. With the cord included with the car, it charges at the rate of 4 bars (16 total) every 5 hours. If the cord has been EVSEUpgraded, 120 volts will charge at 1 bar per hour, and 240 volts will charge at 3 bars per hour. The 16th bar (full charge) takes the longest, since charging rates are reduced and balancing of the cells occur.

As for CANBus equipment, the Android app CaniOn can be used with an OBDLink MX or similar dongle to read details on the car's energy consumption, battery temperatures and cell voltages, heater and AC usage, as well as charging rates. This app is excellent for use on the fly data logging and viewing. There is also the Open Vehicle Monitoring System, or OVMS. This gives the i-MiEV smartphone connectivity, similar to the Nissan LEAF's Carwings system. This allows you to remotely see charge level, estimated range, the line voltage and amperage if the car is charging, end of charge notifications, and location of the car. This system requires a prepaid SIM card to function. I personally use PTel at a cost of $20 every 3 months. The module, antennas, and OBD cable will run around $150, and installation is quite simple. I can share pictures of my installation if you'd like.
 
Thanks for the very through reply!

Its not too common, but we'll get down to -10F at least a few days a year. I think we hit that for about a week this year though.

My commute is pretty short though. Its 7 miles one way and a top speed of 45 mph. So, I'm not too worried about the range.

That does bring up a good question though, what is a realistic winter range? Or, what is a worst case scenario range?
 
The absolute worst I've seen was 40 miles estimated range, and that was -10 °F with max heat and a frozen battery. Luckily, I record every day of driving. I drove 21.5 miles, used max heat the entire time at speeds of 45-50 mph, and ended with 5 bars, 18 (non-heated) miles remaining. I used 11 bars, 11 kWh, for a wall-to-wheels economy of 1.96 mi./kWh. Take that out for 16 kWh, that's roughly 32 miles of range if max heat is used for the entire charge.

I'd say 40-50 miles is realistic with medium heat. I largely don't know because I haven't tested it. The only time I drive far in the cold is with destination charging. 60-65 mph highway driving without heat has yielded 30 miles on 8-10 bars, leaving 6-8 bars. Of course, slowing down allows for heater usage without impacting range.

Your commute sounds similar to mine. I'm 10 miles at 45-50 mph, nearly level road. You'll get a good feel for range once you have driven the car for a while. In the winter with no heat, I can commute using 6 of the 16 bars. Winter with heat, 8 bars. Summertime, I only use 4 bars.
 
daox said:
Hello, I'm new here. I guess you could call me an efficient/small car enthusiast...
daox, welcome! I think you'll feel right at home on this forum and I'm sure you'll find the i-MiEV an eminently-suitable vehicle for you and your family - it is the most under-appreciated BEV in the US, yet one that superbly performs its mission as a daily workhorse. Just don't let 'reviews' by so-called 'professionals' influence you - take a long test drive, carefully evaluate all of the car's features, and make your own decision.

The choice of used cars on the market is increasing as the early-adopters' cars come off lease. Real bargains, IMO.
 
Thanks for the info PV1. Sounds like the i-MiEV has more than enough range for me.

JoeS, I'm quite familiar with the media beating small cars to a pulp in reviews. I actually am the co-owner of MirageForum a forum for the 2014+ Mitsubishi Mirage. Car reviewers love to hate that car. I had one to review myself for a week and it was a wonderful little car and suits its purpose quite well.
 
JoeS said:
Just don't let 'reviews' by so-called 'professionals' influence you
Did I write that? :lol: We certainly live in the land of the giant vehicles.

Real bargain, IMO.
Agreed. Depending on your location, make sure to get one with the quick charge port. Easiest way to spot it is to look for a black lever on the floor by the driver's seat. I just had half a dozen new locations pop up in my area :eek: :D .

https://www.dropbox.com/s/6neioun1cuuv70b/Quick_Charge_Handle.jpg?dl=0
 
I just bought one for $8k with 14k miles. I'll have $9K into it by the time I replace the climate remote.

The power is very impressive. I think the weight of the car will do well in the Winter.

I've seem several on ebay in the Chicago area. Not too far from Wisconsin
 
Congratulations! Which color did you get? $8K is quite a bargain.

I had the same thing with my second car. No remote, so that's an extra grand. It was a Michigan car originally, Grand Rapids area I believe. It ended up in Lima, Ohio, which is where I picked it up.
 
Thanks. It is Silver. The car report said this one was from Grand Rapids as well (at least that is where it was originally titled). The dealer I bought it from was trying to get $9,999 and couldn't get it. He said he paid $7,500 at auction and just wanted to move it. He told me that after I signed, so he may or may not have been lying! :D

s-l1600.jpg


I was high bidder at $8100 on an SE with nav and 500 miles but it didn't meet reserve and it was near Cleveland, so transporting it back here would have been an issue. I probably could have got it for around $10k but I figured I would upgrade the radio and save the money.

That dealer in Cleveland (Lambert GMC, I think) has 3 they are rotating on ebay pretty regularly.
 
Nice.

Lambert has 4 I think. They range from $9,000 to $10,500. They also collect Volts. I stopped there last fall and looked at the black i-MiEV they have.
 
DougC said:
I've seem several on ebay in the Chicago area. Not too far from Wisconsin

I've been looking into this. Chicago area is roughly 100 miles from home. Its mostly interstate driving, so 65 mph.

I assume I could get home with one good charge between. I also assume this is realistic assuming its planned out.

However, I do have questions. :) What kind of range can I expect at 65 mph interstate cruising? A full lvl2 recharge takes about 5 hours, so I'm looking at at least one good break, or two shorter ones.

How would you guys recommend making a trip like this?

Has anyone made a speed vs range chart?
 
The slower the better, for range. If you can do 60 MPH instead of 65, that would make an appreciable impact. Also, following another vehicle reduces energy usage. I try to keep behind a pickup truck (you get the draft, but not the turbulence of a big truck).

In the winter, I can do 40 miles pretty easily, so 50 should be doable in warmer weather. Since the charge rate is reduced from ~92% to full, two stops would probably save you time. Charge until you hit 15 bars, then move on. That last bar and full charge can take 45 minutes on its own. Check plugshare.com to find any quick chargers on the route. That will save you a lot of time. Also, check the times of availability on the chargers (some Nissan dealers block access after hours), and if any network cards are needed (ChargePoint, EVgo, etc.).

Oh, and have a couple of backup stations in mind, too. The last thing you want is to be in range of only one charging station, and that one be down or unavailable.
 
Hey Daox! Looks like I'll see you on ecomodders, mirageforums, and now myimiev! Lol

So I'm about to sign up for the Lambert GMC 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV SE ($10,500, white, 600 miles), that one was my favorite.
 
Hi David. Your post on MirageForum about the used imievs being so inexpensive actually made me start looking. Thanks!

Didn't you find any in the Chicago area that met your needs? There is currently one for only $9k with only 2k miles on it.

http://www.cars.com/vehicledetail/detail/628242670/overview/
 
I test drove that one you linked to, probably would let it go for a little less since they didn't know too much about it. It had the level 3 port too!

Yeah I've looked at what's available here in Chicago and the least expensive one I found was this silver 2012 ES with 11,127 miles for $8000!

http://www.toyotaonwestern.com/use...chicago-59fc632a0a0a00024e9bfc87e21b4d75.htm

I wanted the least miles possible, and all the bells and whistles that SE model offers even if costs a little more. Only con, Lambert GMC says all of the i-MiEVs are missing the i-MiEV remote. Bummer!
 
davidricardo86 said:
I wanted the least miles possible, and all the bells and whistles that SE model offers even if costs a little more. Only con, Lambert GMC says all of the i-MiEVs are missing the i-MiEV remote. Bummer!
I would agree with everyone else that this is a good strategy - Even if you have to pay an extra $1K to $1,500, getting the SE Premium version with the Nav, Bluetooth, back-up camera and of course the L3 charging port is really worth the extra $$$

We just bought a 2012 in Indiana (not far from Indianapolis) with 3,950 miles on it for $8700. It came with everything, including the remote. The dealer said he paid $7300 at auction and he really had no idea what he had bought, but he figured he couldn't go wrong as it was essentially a new car and the price was about what he had previously paid for a new golf cart!

We trucked it home 800 miles on a 16' flatbed trailer towed behind a diesel pick-up, but if you have no way of transporting a car you're looking at, check with U-Ship It and you'll likely find someone to deliver it for you for around $.75 per mile or so. Even if I had to pay a little more for the car and a little more to get it shipped, I would still make the investment in an SE Premium version as opposed to 'saving' a few bucks getting an ES model which does not have the L3 charge port - I think you'll eventually find you didn't save anything at all

Don
 
Don said:
davidricardo86 said:
I wanted the least miles possible, and all the bells and whistles that SE model offers even if costs a little more. Only con, Lambert GMC says all of the i-MiEVs are missing the i-MiEV remote. Bummer!
I would agree with everyone else that this is a good strategy - Even if you have to pay an extra $1K to $1,500, getting the SE Premium version with the Nav, Bluetooth, back-up camera and of course the L3 charging port is really worth the extra $$$

We just bought a 2012 in Indiana (not far from Indianapolis) with 3,950 miles on it for $8700. It came with everything, including the remote. The dealer said he paid $7300 at auction and he really had no idea what he had bought, but he figured he couldn't go wrong as it was essentially a new car and the price was about what he had previously paid for a new golf cart!

We trucked it home 800 miles on a 16' flatbed trailer towed behind a diesel pick-up, but if you have no way of transporting a car you're looking at, check with U-Ship It and you'll likely find someone to deliver it for you for around $.75 per mile or so. Even if I had to pay a little more for the car and a little more to get it shipped, I would still make the investment in an SE Premium version as opposed to 'saving' a few bucks getting an ES model which does not have the L3 charge port - I think you'll eventually find you didn't save anything at all

Don

Sounds like you got an awesome sweet deal on that fully loaded 2012 and even included that remote! Not bad at all. lol golf carts can't go 81 MPH pfff!!

You took the words right out my mouth! Call me superficial but all the cars I've owned in the past have been used and plain Jane cars without the bells and whistles. This SE Premium model has everything I wanted plus really low miles. I figure if I'm going to be paying $11K or a little more than average, I'll get exactly what I want and like. The only thing I didn't like was that it was missing the remote, but I plan on buying one with an employee discount once I start working at Continental Mitsubishi in Countryside, IL. :cool:

From the VIN standard and optional equipment list:

+40GB HDD Navigation with Music Server & Real Time Traffic
+Fuse handsfree link system w/ USB port
+Steering wheel audio controls
+Quick charge port
+Rearview camera system
+Battery warming system
+Heated sideview mirrors
+ACCY rear park assist sensors
+Cargo package
+Cargo net
+Reversible cargo mat
+ACCY wheel locks

Fog lights
360W 8-speaker deluxe audio system
Leather wrapped steering wheel and shift knob

I do not have the time (working full time for McGrath Acura of Westmont, IL M-F) to go pick up the i-MiEV so Lambert GMC is shipping it to my front door for $325. I thought that was fair.
 
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