Re-surging interest in the i-MiEV?

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PV1

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As of late, taking the i-MiEV to Electric Car shows has garnered more interest than it used to. At the NDEW event I went to, it seemed that there were at least as many if not more people looking at the i-MiEV and LEAF than they were the Model S (of course, EVERYONE wanted to see the Model X, and I can't blame them). Is the public finally warming up to this little gem of a car and realizing they don't necessarily need 300+ miles of range?

What have others noticed? Could Mitsubishi push some more i-MiEVs out to the US, run a few TV ads, and be able to sell them now? Or will it continue to be neglected by the market, especially with the Bolt right around the corner?
 
They have a gold mine sitting on top of the ground, but don't even try to advertise or sell them. It is the most practical commuter car--the best kept secret for some odd reason...
 
Gold mine, really? :lol:

It attracts attention as a goofy looking odd ball yes. If they could get the range up to 100 miles at the same price maybe...
 
With the recent acquisition(majority ownership) by Nissan of Mitsubishi I remain hopeful that the I-Miev will continue to be in the vision of Carlos Ghosn and the Nissan/Renault/Mitsubishi Alliance. With the proposed upcoming range increase of the Leaf perhaps the I-Miev could be given a range boost as well.
One of my concerns is that the two cars might compete against each other at their current price points, particularly the model S Leaf.
Am I being too optimistic to think the I-Miev will exist after Nissan takes command?
Thoughts??
Stay charged my friend.
 
Just a few snapshot comments -

The older I get and having shown my i-MiEV at EV and Earth Day events for the last four years, I've come to the sad conclusion that 'perception' is the dominant and perhaps overriding element in attracting interest - something marketing students pick up on but something us engineers don't give a damn about.

The perception that a 200-mile range is necessary (just as the perception that a 16-megapixel camera is 'necessary')

The perception that one doesn't want to be seen in a jellybean golf-cart-looking car like the i-MiEV

The perception that one DOES want to be seen in a beautiful-looking car like the TeslaS (even though it would be more efficient if it had rear fender skirts and solid wheels which are rejected by Tesla for 'aesthetic' reasons)

The perception that a small vehicle is cramped inside

The perception that one needs outlandish 0-60 acceleration

The perception that one needs a monster SUV to be 'safe'

I could go on and on - you get the picture.

Showing off the i-MiEV attracts two types of people -

1. The techie who is intrigued by it and wants to learn more
2. The female (sorry for being politically incorrect) who thinks it's 'cute'

The techie gets in, learns about the car, then spends time trying to convince his family that it should be considered. The other half of that family, after acknowledging that it's cute, then proceeds to be worried that 'it's not safe'.

Is there more interest in the i-MiEV now than there was four years ago? Other than a generally-increased interest in electric cars, I haven't seen it, I'm afraid.

I continue marching to the beat of my own drum knowing that I have the 'best' everyday-use electric vehicle out there, and laugh all the way to the bank.
 
Showing off the i-MiEV attracts two types of people -

1. The techie who is intrigued by it and wants to learn more
2. The female (sorry for being politically incorrect) who thinks it's 'cute'

The techie gets in, learns about the car, then spends time trying to convince his family that it should be considered. The other half of that family, after acknowledging that it's cute, then proceeds to be worried that 'it's not safe'.

Yes, I also get occasional interest from 2 other types:

The general public from all walks of life who realize the thing may be battery only and ask in amazement. I've had a guys call out to me at a traffic light a few times. Also college students comment positively as I drive around campus.

The red neck driving a 12 mpg pickup. Totally turned off when he hears the 62 mile range but somewhat intrigued none the less.


I bought mine for two reasons.

I realized the prices on the used market had sunk to very low levels. I was able to trade in my 11 year old Miata which I had driven for 4 or 5 years and put the balance on a credit card to be paid at month end :).

It meets about 80% of my needs, basically all of commuting and some of weekend running around. I have a second gas powered vehicle to fill in the holes.

Now, if I did not have the other cars in my fleet the 200 mile range really becomes a requirement. I might be able to justify renting another vehicle once or twice a year for long trips but there are many trips that come up say 10-12 times a year where I need to range out 50, 65 and occasionally 80 miles from home. The I's range is just not enough, even with quick charging the charges are always 20+ miles out of the way so the I is unusable. If it had 200 miles of range I could do the trips without charging, if it had 100 or so I could do the trip out and have enough left to reach a quick charger on the way back if I had to.
 
i had a lady comment about how she liked my car, and that i must be saving money on gasoline with it being all little and stuff--i told her yes i save alot of money on gas...
 
The i-MiEV is still priced pretty well below the LEAF s. Remember, to get a LEAF with quick charge, that instantly takes the price above $30,000. The i-MiEV has it standard at $23,000. Increase US stock and run some ads, they could really sell as-is.

The question becomes, could the i-MiEV be re-packed with LEAF cells and charger to gain range and boost charging to 6.6 kW without increasing costs? Or, could it actually decrease costs by utilizing the LEAF cell's economies of scale while simultaneously increasing the appeal of the i-MiEV? Imagine it with an 80 mile EPA range and 3 hour recharge time. How many times would even just 18 extra miles make a difference, especially if it could make an inexpensive car even cheaper at the same time? Yuasa apparently is strapped in LEV50 production for the Outlander PHEV (at least that's been the excuse for slowing i-MiEV production), but Nissan still has some capacity to afford extra pack production.

Joe, most of those perceptions are smashed once you get someone to go for a ride. All I know is, had I been in a different vehicle, I would've taken that deer out a few months ago, and that BMW would've taken me out last year. The safest car is one that can avoid a collision altogether, which the i-MiEV does well.
 
PV1 said:
How many times would even just 18 extra miles make a difference, especially if it could make an inexpensive car even cheaper at the same time?

Roughly the miles between Anthem and Black Canyon City. For me, it would significantly ease short "travel" plans. It would make no difference in our city driving as we only use on average 30 miles a day.
 
18 would make a slight difference from time to time. Also, I could charge every third day fall/spring and every other day summer / maybe winter.
 
I would think mitsu's cells are probably better using economies of scale Nissan could have a cheaper more reliable Mitsubishi cells in their leafs
 
I think it has 70% to do with image, and the rest split between price and education.

Consumers in countries like the UK and US buy with their eyes, not their brains. if you make something look good, it does well. Very hard to understand why the PHEV was a runaway success, and the IMIEV not, with the majority of UK PHEV sales being in London to take advantage of tax breaks, the I is unquestionably the better car for london, but the consumer likes the SUV... it's just fashion.

The vast majority of people are neither technically minded, nor particularly utilitarian.

Most simply go to the dealer run and choose the best looking car that fits their parameters with the easiest to budget finance deal. Since Mitsubishi neither have that many dealers compared to the other big names, nor pushed finance options proprely, it cost them.

Their Cabled trial, which can be easily researched was about the total of their marketing, so their approach to market was too academic, and didn't make the mainstream. Dare I say you need to advertise on prime time TV shows, something they understood with the PHEV and got right.

Some manufacturers can sell total junk, but because it looks pretty, they still sell.

I don't think the majority of people recognise that in a city like London, 70 miles is more than enough, nor have they assessed their needs. Most people have busy lives, just need any car, and can't yet be bothered with the charging faff that comes with a BEV, and they don't understand how to basic plan their journeys around a 6 hour charge... so in essence they are actually lazy, or lazy by proxy. So, they just continue with what they know.

Dare I say I think the Scandinavians, French and Germans are more utilitarian, and less image focused in the main, hence better uptake.

I've noticed a slight price increase in UK prices, perhaps 10% on used values, but they remain low.

I don't think Mitsubishi are sitting on a gold mine, no... the body on the I is aged now... 10 year old design, style has moved on, and they have missed the boat with this model as range has progressed too... so it will remain a classic in the EV world, but it won't be reintroduced now, as Nissan will go with their better sellers.

Last issue was that the IMIEV served as a great city car, but also as a second car really, requiring an ICE back-up. nowadays, I really think for market penetration, you want a Leaf sized car with about 130 mile range. I would not buy the I as a sole car, it can only be a 2nd one.... it's a problem that most people would arrive at.... and in a city, many only have space for 1 car... bit of a catch 22.
 
I think that Nissan has doubled down on their pouch-style battery modules, and we're not likely to see any more prismatic cells in a mass-produced EV battery. There was only one salvage i-MiEV pack listed in the country last week, and I'd need three i-packs, so instead I purchased two late-model LEAF packs for use in resurrecting a '99 Ford Ranger EV. The 'lizard pack' modules in a LEAF are some what more heat tolerant and 0.22 lbs lighter (probably due to the 'tuna can' being replaced by a glued clamshell with open corners for venting. While a bit less durable, the clamshells are easily mounted in either direction for series or parallel modules, so there's only one variety, while there were two types of tuna cans in each LEAF pack, restricting the reuse options.
Details on the Ranger Resurrection are being posted to my blog at http://www.karmanneclectric.blogspot.com

And what difference would 18 miles make? I've gotten good at range planning, having turtled many times (probably 2-3x/month for the past three years since deciding it was no big deal) but never experienced shutdown or EVen had to stop for an unplanned L1 recharge. It gives me a sick thrill to arrive in the nick of time, but the fabled 'range anxiety' is the reason that my wife doesn't use the car for any trips much beyond her routine without research and a guarantee by me. Yes, 18 miles would make a difference, but I definitely wouldn't trade for a 2011-12 used LEAF, EVen at even money. A 2013+ with low miles? Probably. I may be proud, but ain't stupid. :roll:
 
Thank you phb, that was a very reasonable analysis of the situation.

It's unfortunate that the external look and marketing cannot convey or distract from the amazing BEV experience available in these cars.
 
Of COURSE greater range would be better. Lots of complaints I see about lack or range. Maybe it's just me,
Having liked Smal! Cars since I was a kid (drove my Subaru 360 from San Diego to New Hampshire in 1972),
But I like this car as is. More than adequate for less than 300 mile trips with planning. We really all need to understand that this is one fine car with great potential. I don't know about resurgent interest, but just today
I heard, for the umpteenth time "I didn't know Mitsubishi made an electric car." And that was from a 60ish guy with a cowboy hat, who thought it looked "way cool." Resurgent interest, no. Interest, yes.
Cars like the Bolt will make it look like a dinosaur, though.
 
I'm Norwegian but live in Massachusetts. When I'm over there there's iMiEV's everywhere. They are the electric little car perfect for going around town. When we tried to find one over here we had a very hard time. The Mitsubishi dealer here wouldn't even consider it and kept ranting about the the Mirage telling us how the iMiEV was a Mitsubishi flop that no one wants. So we went to CarMax who finally got us one after a couple of months of waiting. I know the car from Norway so I could overlook the BS from the dealers here. As far as I'm concerned the iMiEV is a little gem especially for those who need a second car to get around town. We have a Mitsubishi Outlander GT for longer trips but the iMiEV is the fun drive we prefer to get to the grocery store, pick up kids at school and such. People come over all time asking about it. When I tell it has a 50 miles range the question is always: "What if you want to go further?". Dumb question. With the iMiEV I don't! And that's a good thing! :)
 
My wife found the car as it was so cheap and low mileage. I started researching it and I wanted it.

Because of delays the dealer ended up delivering it to me. They’re about 80km from me and they had to turn back the first time as they forgot to charge it before they left. They made it with about 16km left the next day and they were freaking out the entire drive.
 
We got ours during an ice storm Dec 23. Dealer forgot to charge it and I didn't know how to read the instrument panel so we stopped on the freeway after 12 miles. Dealer sent a tow truck. A flying start on our iMiEV ownership. Took it home on a tow truck. Been in love since :)
 
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