Mitsubishi i Electric Vehicle to be Launched in Hawaii
Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) has selected Hawaii to be the first state to receive the North American version of the company’s 100% electric-powered Mitsubishi i production vehicle beginning in November of this year.
With a retail price of $27,990 for the base ES model, Hawaiian citizens can take advantage of their tropical state’s clean energy rebate of $4,500 toward the purchase of the Mitsubishi i along with a federal tax credit of $7,500 (subject to availability of funding), reducing the EV’s out-of-pocket cost to under $16,000 after rebates and credits, says the company.
Beginning April 22, Hawaiian consumers will be able to reserve their own Mitsubishi i with a fully refundable deposit of $299.00 at the website i.MitsubishiCars.com.
Mitsubishi will waive the $99.99 home electrical inspection fee for the first 2,000 people who place a reservation and purchase this new electric vehicle (EV).
[ Also Read: Which Color You Want for Your Car? ]“We thank Mitsubishi Motors for choosing Hawaii as one of the first states to receive the new “i” electric car. Electric vehicles use a fraction of the fuel needed by traditional cars, so each EV on the road means we’re reducing our dependence on imported oil and increasing our ability to reach Hawaii’s goal of 70 percent clean energy within a generation,” said Estrella Seese, Acting Energy Program Administrator, Hawaii State Energy Office.
Meanwhile, at the New York International Auto Show, the 100-percent electric, zero-emission Nissan LEAF was named 2011 World Car of the Year, edging out the BMW 5-Series and the Audi A8 for the top spot. (Read: World Car of the Year Award for Nissan LEAF)
The Mitsubishi i will be available for licensed drivers to test drive at Cutter Mitsubishi in Aiea, Hawaii later this fall.
The company anticipates deliveries of the 5-door 2012 Mitsubishi i to its dealership network in the western United States (specifically Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington) in November 2011, with entry into the northeastern market to follow by March 2012 and nationwide availability by the end of 2012.
[ Announcement: Thought Leaders Invited to Write for RMN News Site ]The Mitsubishi i can be charged using the onboard household charger through either 120V or 240V power sources or by a DC quick-charger system that utilizes a three-phase 220V power supply (80% charge in 30 minutes).
The charging times from a very low battery to completely full are approximately 6 hours at 240V and 22.5 hours at 120V. Mitsubishi is targeting a driving range of 85 miles for the vehicle.
