We review the Mitsubishi i-Miev from price to economy and all its features
THE race is on to deliver the big-selling electric car.
And now there appear to be a few front-runners.
Front-runner … Mitsubishi i-Miev
Vauxhall's Ampera has long been touted as the car that would bring plug-in motoring to the masses.
The Ampera delivers 120mpg and it has none of the old electric drawbacks — it's a full fourseater with a proper boot.
And Vauxhall have removed the nightmare of "range anxiety" — that fear of being stranded when the battery goes flat.
The battery has a range of 40 miles and, when it gets close to running dry, the car switches to a 1.4-litre engine that acts as a generator to produce electricity to keep the car running for more than 300 miles.
It goes on sale in 2012 — but, even with the Government's £5,000 grant for electric car buyers, it is still likely to be a hefty £30,000.
Nissan's Leaf is a stylish five-seat family hatchback with zero emissions and a range of 100 miles.
Nissan claim research shows that that meets the daily requirements of more than 70 per cent of motorists worldwide.
But it will cost around £25,000 — even after the £5,000 discount.
Tardis-like … room for four adults
The Mini E, currently on trial in the UK uses a lithium-ion battery which is capable of between 125 and 150 miles on a full charge, more than enough for most city commuters and impressive for an electric car.
You also get a special heavy-duty power cable which means you can recharge it in just two hours.
Mini will look to lease it at a cost of £550 per month, but this comes down to £330 with a Government subsidy.
Renault have a whole family of electric cars on the way.
First up will be a Kangoo van next year, closely followed by large family saloon Fluence — which has a range of 100 miles.
Ford revealed earlier this year that they will build five electric cars in the next five years — starting with a Focus which I drove late last year. It's unlikely the Focus BEV (Battery Electric Vehicle) will be on sale until 2012.
more motors
And there's also the Mitsubishi, Peugeot and Citroen jointly-built trio — i-Miev, Ion and C-Zero.
All will arrive late this year or early 2011 — and we've had a first drive of the i-Miev in Scotland.
It stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle.
The 'i' does everything a normal supermini would, but without CO2 emissions. It has the same boot space as the petrol and the same Tardis-like interior, with room for four adults and luggage.
Apart from the plug-in socket, the exterior is identical to the regular 'i'.
Inside, the only changes are the addition of a battery meter, while the auto box is swapped for a selector with two modes — Drive and Eco.
The 'i' is powered by a 47kw motor and a high-capacity 330-volt lithium-ion battery under the floor.
Green machine … up to 100 mile range
It has a smooth-as-silk automatic gearbox and the only noise is a whooshing sound, like a washing machine on spin cycle.
And it is nippy around town. It does 0-62mph in less than 14 seconds — great for an electric. I got 80mph from it, and its range was between 80 and 100 miles, with a total recharging time of seven hours from a household socket.
Despite carrying an extra 180kg, it actually handles better than the petrol model thanks to a lower centre of gravity, and it rides comfortably.
Drive hard, though, and the batteries will run out within an hour — which is where Eco mode comes in.
That reduces the motor's output from 64hp to 24hp, saving battery life. It's slow, but you won't struggle to keep up with city traffic either.
There's also a B — for Brake — mode which ramps up brake regeneration to recharge the batteries, and is perfect for when you're slowing from higher speeds.
Like all the electric models, the biggest drawback is price. The i-Miev will set you back a whopping £38,699.
Running costs are greatly reduced after the initial outlay for the car but it's still steep even with £5,000 off.
Other than that, the i-Miev proves just how good electric cars can be.