Mitsubishi i

Mitsubishi plans to roll out its i MiEV electric car around the world, including the U.S. To that end, the company showed a left-hand-drive version—which debuted at this year’s Geneva show in March—at the 2009 New York auto show.

This version of the i MiEV is strictly a prototype at this point, as evidenced by the fanciful lighting elements, including funky bubble lamps on the front bumper, sweet-looking lighted knobs in the interior, and LED headlights. None of those are likely to make it to production, but they provide an upscale, chic look to the concept. We also like the circuitry-inspired upholstery.

All i MiEVs are based on the i minicar. Compared with the Japanese market i and i MiEV, however, this concept is wider by 3.7 inches up front and 5.3 inches at the rear. Widening the car has a twofold benefit: improved handling and stability, as well as increased interior room. The front and rear overhangs are also longer, resulting in 2.1 inches of extra length. The Prototype i MiEV’s cabin has an impressive amount of headroom, and two normal adults can sit in the rear seats comfortably with decent—okay, some—space between. There is no middle seat in back, so occupancy is limited to four.

Power comes from an air-cooled, 330-volt lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the floor and a synchronous permanent-magnet electric motor, which routes 63 hp and 133 lb-ft of torque to the rear wheels. Charging the batteries can be accomplished in 14 hours from a standard 110-volt outlet, or seven hours from a 220-volt source. A three-phase 220-volt quick-charge port is also built into the car, and allows for an 80-percent charge in 30 minutes. Range is 80 to 100 miles, with a top speed of 81 mph, according to Mitsubishi.

The smaller i MiEV goes on sale in Japan in the fall for the equivalent of about $30,000. At the same time, both the state of Oregon and the Portland General Electric company will begin U.S. tests of that Japanese-market car. Mitsubishi intends to be more active in the minicar and alternative-propulsion markets in the U.S., a strategy which could mean killing off some of its slower-selling conventional models such as the Endeavor SUV in favor of vehicles like the i MiEV. Word is that the i MiEV would have to be sold in the U.S. at that $30,000 price—or possibly even higher—to make it economically viable, so the non-MiEV, gasoline-fired i would have to pick up the slack volume-wise. That car would use the same basic 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine found in the rump of the Smart Fortwo and likely come in well under $20K. Mitsubishi is hoping to offer the i MiEV to U.S. consumers by 2012, if not earlier.