To clarify: This is my home town. My kids went to these schools. I went to them - at least the ones that date back that far - back in the day. The i-MiEV isn't my car. It's part of Mitsubishi's test fleet. Have a Happy New Year!
WOW! That solar array had my mouth drop open! I've never seen anything like it! What a brilliant use of otherwise useless space. Great review too. I'm thinking of buying one.
I can't speak for other reviewers, Alvord. I've had this exact road trip in mind for quite a while ... just had to wait to get a full electric in for review. You are extremely fortunate to have a charger available at your place of employment. Thank you for being a pioneer! :) I planned this trip out to show folks the current situation here in New Jersey, where we are a national leader in renewable solar energy installations, yet lagging badly when it comes to public charger installations.
Thanks. I had a limited amount of time with the i-MiEV, so I decided to take a different route than our normal approach. I'll post a written review on the website this week.
I only charged the i-MiEV for about an hour and half - I can't recall the exact amount of range added ... maybe 10 or 12 miles? It's designed to full charge at 7 hours on a dedicated charger. There's also a quick charge port, but I've never seen one of those bad boys. Only had this car for a weekend, so I didn't have the opportunity to test as exhaustively as I normally do. Apologies for not being able answer all the questions!
Hey Dan. Welcome finally to HD. Great reviews. Like what they did to my old high school, well middle school. I was the last class that graduated from that place when it was HS.
Thanks, P! I've been exporting more stuff in HD lately, eventually I'll get to the reviews & 0-60s (need to find the cash to replace the camera I use for the dash shot). Every time I drive past MHS, I hear the opening riff to 'Glory Days' ... ;)
The beautiful green landscapes, Blue skies, progressive schools, quiet roadways, made me think, "What a nice place, I wonder which state and town this may be. Definitely not my deficit facing, property tax burdened state of NJ". Surprisingly it is NJ. But a very progressive part of NJ, the Princeton area. This is the best i-Miev video on RU-vid. I got a good idea of what its like to own an Electric car. I've been wanting an Electric car since 2007. I will be buying soon. Thank you.
If I recall correctly, the "B" gearshift location is for "Braking", just like in the Prius, Camry Hybrid, and Highlander Hybrid from Toyota. You're supposed to use "B" when driving down a hill, for some reason. Never quite understood it, but I know that it's for use when driving down hills.
That CIA director Woolsey video link in your description is very informative. Several years ago I adapted my cars to run on CNG in addition to gasoline. Almost 2 years ago I bought an electric car. Relying on expensive gasoline as our only fuel is a bad strategy.
"How Cool Is That ?" Real cool.. and so is this video.. a low key look at a perhaps under appreciated electric car.. and a nice look at New Jersey too. Hey, I'm from California..and New Jersey is looking pretty good. Not sure of the presenters name..but hope he is doing more. Good warm fuzzy feeling, just like Robert Llewellyn. Thumbs Up Bro !
Thanks for the kind words, Capt Larry! I produce auto video for Autobytel, in addition to this channel. I recently reviewed the Kia Soul EV ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-vNQO8A8lkas.html ) and the BMW i3 ( ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sdi3DcTDpnA.html ) with more NJ Solar, to boot! =)
This is a great video!!! and i think it shows the real stresses of charging up and finding a charging station. and one of the best lessons of all even if you have plenty charging stations will they have the correct charging port for your application! This is how things work in the real world!
How do you feel about the Tesla Model S? Edmunds nailed 0-60 MPH in 4.3 seconds (and 4.0 seconds with 1 foot of rollout), in the Model S with a quarter-mile time of 12.6 seconds at 108.3 MPH.
I own an older Think City. I've recently driven the iMiev and really liked it. I would have purchased the iMiev or Leaf if they were available at dealers a couple of years ago. I needed portable Level 2 charging and I found two options. The EvseUpgrade modified Panasonic(comes with iMiev and Leaf) and the ClipperCreek LCS-25. That whole home charger assessment is a racket. You don't need a fancy site assessment when you buy a new clothes dryer. It's the same thing.
The Volt is a remarkable car. Statistics show that Volt owners are overwhelmingly happy with their purchase. The 2013 Ford Focus Electric and Honda Fit EV show that electric-powered cars needn't look any different than conventional cars ...
I live in California, and all the schools in my city got the same solar shade parking things, i wish i knew how much they actually saved for my high school. Did you hear about the new coda, its an electric car company here in the u.s.
Coda is interesting ... they use a glider from China with an American QLM electric motor. Not sure if they're marketing outside of California yet. The amount of savings should be public record. Our school district has a cool real-time display on their website that shows how much energy is being produced by at least one of the systems.
I'm not sure about the possibility of an adapter. Hopefully this video will stir up the issue with the Parking Authority. I just heard that Princeton University purchased an electric bus ... I'll see if I can dig up more info. I personally would lean towards a lease on this first generation of EVs. There are lots of variables with regard to range, no doubt about that. They're not practical in places with severe winters ... but neither are Corvettes. ;)
The Mustang GT is awesome. (Wish I owned one!) It also has a back seat that's a torture chamber for larger folks. ;) It's kinda like apples and oranges. The Tesla Model S is a four-door sedan and has a third row available for small kids (although I've yet to see a picture of it), with pricing that starts at $49,000 (gotta spend more dough to get more go & range). Edmunds tested the 2012 Mustang GT at 4.8 seconds 0-60 MPH/4.5 with a 1 foot rollout.
interesting stuff Dan, some questions , when you did finally find a charging station, at the end of the charging session(how long is a session?) how many miles range did the charge add ? also you mentioned air conditioner runs the battery down faster, how much faster does it run the charge down? in some hot climates you have the air con running all the time, this must be a concern. also, if you get caught not able to get a charge as you showed, do electric cars just stop when 0 miles? thx
14:18 Just after revisiting this, I ask, how the hell did those second set of chargers get there? Firstly, I never heard of an EV infrastructure built anywhere outside of California during the 90s to early 00s. The only car I remember that used them was the Honda EV Plus. The only others I recall using the Maréchal connector were the Peugeot 106 Electrique and Citroen Berlingo Electrique.
There is an optional "Cold Zone Package" for $150 which consists of: Battery warming system and Heated sideview mirrors. I read somewhere that the Battery Warmers are designed to maintain the battery range in severe cold weather. Check out the "Trims & Options" page in Mitsubishi's "I" webpage.
I reckon that the folks that traveled via horse and buggy said pretty much the same thing to Henry Ford, back in the day. ;) The Model T was no thing of beauty ... but it got the job done.
At present, I think the weight of the solar panels would cause more electricity to be consumed so it would not achiecve the desired results. When panels become more lightweight, then maybe this willbe a good option.
We would not have to spend the tax dollars that we do if it were not for the importance of keeping those shipping lanes open. Your commanders know this. We have allowed the forces that control petroleum to control the world's economy for far too long. I've dropped a link into the video description with a keynote from James Woolsey, former director of the CIA that will help to shed light on things.
EV's have another huge advantage which was not mentioned. NO Oil Changes, NO Oil Filter Replacements, NO Air Filter Replacements, NO Fuel Filter Replacements, NO Transmission Fluid Changes, NO Anti-Freeze Changes, NO Spark Plugs, NO Starters, NO Fuel Pumps, NO Condensers, NO Coils, NO Alternators, NO Radiators, Ever. Almost Zero Maintenance. EV's are WIN WIN.
I think this video highlights the range anxiety issue. I did a map study of mileage and I came to the conclusion a dependable minimum 160 mile range would work just fine for most people most of the time. Still wouldn't be a good 'road trip' car though.
Wouldn't it be cool if "clean coal" was a reality, rather than a marketing slogan? It might exist, but it'll surely take time before it's implemented at scale. Electricity sources vary depending on geographic location. Some states may predominantly use coal, while others rarely use it. The US Energy Information Administration (EIA) has a bunch of data on their website. WV, for example, is 96% coal (as one might expect), while WA is largely powered by hydroelectric.
Why do reviewers try to take a random road trip in an electric car? They aren't made for random trips far from home and it makes the EV look bad. They are excellent for routine trips like going to work, grocery, school. I drive my electric car 80% of the time. 35 miles to work where I plug in. Then 35 miles home where I plug in. All kinds of random trips within 10 miles of home. All this for 5x cheaper than gasoline. Use your gasoline car to do your spontaneous long distance driving.
It's been quite a while since I drove the i-MiEV. Can't recall how harsh it was, but I wouldn't expect it to be plush. A different set of tires and shock absorbers might make a difference.
Considering how many surfaces and structures there are that could be covered in cells, why even bother investing in super efficient but expensive technologies? Just churn out millions of square metres of the cheap stuff, and stick them on anything you can, and plug into the grid - done!
The average price paid for all cars in the U.S. is $30K. This car is only $23K after the federal tax credit. It is 5 times cheaper to fuel than a gasoline car. I'm a fool for paying 80 cents per gallon? At 80 cents per gallon, I don't care what it looks like. I'm sure Exxon and the Saudi Royal Family appreciate your loyalty.
Very well done video w/o a lot of hype. I like the idea of a pure electric as a second vehicle, but not as a sole vehicle. My compromise would be a hybrid. So, why should I spend ~$30k for a pure electric when I can buy a Hybrid such as a Prius c for the same money? 80% of my driving is within the electric range of a hybrid and another 18% is within 25 miles. After an investment in this much money, I'd prefer to not have 'range anxiety'.
also lets not forget fuel cells and internal gas generators to extend eletric range. like VIA MOTORS. its more efficient. and environmentally friendly.
The electric car is a great way to go for small distances, but I would rather just have my little 2.0l 4 banger mazda3. That gets me 300 miles on 30 bucks worth of gas.
The problem is storage of power. - I can never understand why the car battery has not changed in a hundred years? - There's better out there, but any new technology is bought up so big oil still makes a profit from manufacturing them.
EVs will be huge worldwide, over time. The charging station situation is a localized problem that can (and will) be remedied. Nothing happens overnight. :) Folks questioned the Leaf's battery pack technology when it was first announced. The reports from Arizona are not a surprise to many. Florida ranks 18th on the list of photo voltaic installs, according to the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. It's up to your politicians whether or not they want to challenge the status quo & create jobs.
Electric cars would be so stressful to drive. You are constantly worrying about your route to take to make sure there are charge points along the way, You don't know if the points are free when you reach them, and your range is very very vague and varies so greatly by using things we take for granted such as the horn, lights, radio, and air conditioning. And when you do want to charge you need to wait 4 hours or more to charge. And to top it all off you pay significantly more to buy the car
With the difficulties of locating a charging station, the report from yesterday that the Leaf's battery is very much affected by hot weather and their costs, I see no future for EV's unless both govt and private industry really stop BSing and put a plan in place, Incredibly the Sunshine State has almost no solar panel charging areas
Garry Jr. It isn't cheaper: the i-Miev starts ~$31k. The Prius C can be had at ~$22k. Gas prices has also gone down quite a bit vs. 2~3 years ago, so running cost is cheaper on the EV, the long-term return on investment lengthens. As for looks, to each their own.
+Trades46 I miev's are $24k minus incentives of around $10k, so about $14k. but being free from buying gas is a liberating experience . You don't feel trapped.
mrannen1958 That is true, but I feel a car should be MORE than just ownership costs (otherwise you'd simply take the bus). For that kind of money, a used car with a economical 4cyl (or in my argument, a small hybrid) seems to be more economically viable while still being a decent car; not a penalty box which you will have to stick with for 10+ years to recuperate the cost on. You also have to make a lot of compromise with such limited range (moreso than the Leaf). For example you lose the ability to say, drive to another town to visit your mom and come back on the same day unless for some reason she has a Level 2 charger. Want to drive to the cottage or take a roadtrip? Forget it.
+Trades46 l drive 100 miles a day in this car, btw l have done it on a single charge also. Today I did 140 miles. l don't feel limited at all. l don't want to drive more than l do. Everybody has a different need and your location makes a big difference. Here in Maryland we have 100's of charging stations, many free. ln Baltimore alone there are about 100. Maryland is putting in 20 superchargers across the state. l've used some already and they are free as of now. l see a Prius as an electric car with training wheels, the worst of both worlds. You still have a ICE car to run and maintain and have a bunch of expensive batteries to replace. My I miev gets the equivalent of 160 mpge and what l do with it you can't do with the bus. l tow a trailer and haul electric lawn mowers. baltimore.craigslist.org/biz/5183077517.html This car pays for itself in fuel savings alone. l'd just like to share it with people because it is hard to believe what this little car can do.
Do you work for the oil companies by any chance? :) Charging up fully at home and running a modern electric car the way it was intended (yes, even with lights and A/C) and use it how intended... you will find that range anxiety is just another buzz word from the uninformed. FUD. Look it up. Would I take any EV across country? NO! But I don't regularly travel across country. I usually drive less than 90 KM per day. That is where the technology is right now but the future looks bright.
Got that right! - The amount of oil it takes to make a acid battery will never change! - they would have to take it as a loss just to look at it as a loss in while they'll never let happen if they make it so hard for this new tech to happen! OK PUI! I will fix later..
This is where the volt shines. On board generator if you cant make it to a charge point. Id like electric cars more if they had different looks. Tesla got that part right
in our country you can buy these with goverment founding wich means that they pay half the price of the car but these cars are crappy.the stats say it will do 150 km on a single charge but it wont it will to only 84 km and in the winter it only will do 60 km and you cant turn on the heater because it wont let you do it
So I'm gunna jump in here before this thread goes down in flames. Taxpayers in the United States pay an inordinate amount of money to keep oil flowing from the middle east. But the biggest cost is lives. How many service men and women have lost their lives or have been injured in the mid-east wars? Our military leaders know how crucial it is to break the dependence on imported petroleum, hence the Navy's Green Fleet initiative and other efforts. Activist or Patriot?
People still don't understand that this is a baby step for future of cars. Sure it is weird looking, and a tad spartan but this is just the tip of the iceberg. Batteries technology will improve, vehicle design has already vastly improved. Tesla cars for example. You have to look back on the real history of gasoline powered vehicles. They were not well received when first introduced... long haul driving is what cemented the gasoline car world wide. City cars don't need 300 mile range. Its a waste
Mitsubishi has been neglecting their auto unit like Fuji did with Subarus not so long ago. Fuji learned but Mitsu refuses. Pulling out of the US market is never a good idea, it took Fiat 20 yrs to get back and Peugeot is still trying. It'll be sad to see Mitsu go.
I'm a fanatic, but I'm no environmentalist. I could care less how much my electric car pollutes. I'm want cheap and convenient fuel. Electricity is far, far cheaper than gasoline and it can't get more convenient than fueling at home. My EV sits all night charging right next to my gasoline car waiting for me to take it to the gas station.
This is not a bad car, but I will never understand why they insist in making electric cars look like a baby's toy car? Mitsubishi is already almost dead in the U.S. market and this is their idea of making a comeback? Sorry but no. I like Mitsus, but I like their older cars. When they put effort into making cars. Nowdays they only have 2 good cars. Sorry but their chances are very slim
the miev is a horrible car for anything other than city. it seems dangerously slow. The tesla is ok. its like a big electric go kart. Not very exciting, just fast. Id still rater have a lotus even if its slower.
Why do electric cars have to be so ugly and child-like...???. (Have they not heard of Tesla.???...They actually make great looking cars !!) I really want to buy an electric car, at a reasonable price - but I am not willing to be humiliated in public.
