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2012 Mitsubishi i Electric Minicar: Driven Page 2

 
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2012 Mitsubishi i electric car, New York City, August 2012

2012 Mitsubishi i electric car, New York City, August 2012

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We also experienced an occasional rattle from some element of the interior trim, but it didn't happen often enough to be able to replicate. While lightweight and basic, the 2012 Mitsubishi electric car otherwise seemed pretty solid.

It's been a long time since we've driven a car with tires this narrow, though, and from certain angles--with the front wheels fully cranked in one direction, or from the rear--it does look undeniably like a tiny kit car.


In the end, we conclude that the 2012 Mitsubishi i would make a great urban car if your commute is 20 miles or less. It's going to be cheap to run--a complete battery recharge giving you up to 60 miles is only about 14 kilowatt-hours, or 30 cents to $3 of electricity (depending on where you live).

The acceleration is decent, if not Tesla-quick, and we can think of few cars that have as much space wrapped into such a small package. (MINI could learn a lot from how the i is laid out.)

But the electric Mitsubishi is severely limited by its range. If its battery pack offered half again as much range--93 miles, say--we think it could find huge acceptance as a large-inside, small-outside practical second car.

So while we liked it, we would have liked it a lot better if we could have driven it to Breezy Point.

The SE trim level includes a 360-Watt stereo system with an AM/FM/CD/MP3 head unit and eight speakers. The SE model also comes with leather-wrapped steering wheel, heated driver's seat, power windows, locks, and mirrors, and 15-inch alloy wheels.

Our test car was fitted with the $2,790 Premium Package that includes an in-dash navigation system with real-time traffic data, a 40-GB music server, Bluetooth hands-free audio and phone pairing, steering-wheel audio controls, heated side mirrors, a rear-view camera, and a battery warming system.

It was also fitted with a Quick-Charge port, although as there are no CHAdeMO quick-charging stations in the greater New York City area, we couldn't test it.

The total price of our 2012 Mitsubishi i SE, with the Premium Package and a mandatory $850 destination charge, was $34,765. The car qualifies for the $7,500 Federal tax credit for buying an electric vehicle.

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Comments (48)

  1. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 8/17/2012 1:47pm PDT

    @37miles with fan full blasting and A/C on, that is almost Chevy Volt's electric range. My Volt's range only drops about 1-2 miles with Eco and full fan. On Comfort level, the range will drop 3-5 miles. A 38 miles range rated Volt will easily do 40 miles with A/C on in a "normal" driving condition.
     
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  2. fb_1051029717 avatar Cliff Saunders III Posted: 8/17/2012 3:16pm PDT

    While it is small ,there are a few leftover 2011 Think City EVs for sale at a greatly reduced price. The Think ,with its 24kw battery pack has a range between 70 and 100 miles depending on how you drive. I own a 2011 Think and regularly get 70 miles per charge with the a/c on ,slowing down and turning the a/c off increases the range by as much as 20%. You may see the Think City at www.eurostarautos.com . That is where I purchased mine.
     
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  3. fb_599454693 avatar Jan Durzynski Posted: 8/17/2012 6:30pm PDT

    $24,495 for the Think... Let me think... No, thank you.
     
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  4. Roy_H avatar Roy Harvie Posted: 8/19/2012 7:53am PDT

    With Think bankrupt, where do you get it serviced? Who has parts? You cannot just take it to your local garage to have the controller software updated.
     
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  5. Roy_H avatar Roy Harvie Posted: 8/17/2012 5:09pm PDT

    You left out its most important feature. The i-MiEV battery is lithium-titanate. This battery may be relatively small but it will out live the life of the car even if you fast charge it every day.
     
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  6. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/18/2012 2:10pm PDT

    Sadly, no, it's not Lithium Titanate yet. This is one of those unfortunate consequences of companies "pre-announcing" things, and it's caused a lot of confusion. I'm getting my i-MiEV next week, and it is definitely still using the Li-ion battery that Mitsu co-developed with GS Yuasa. No bad thing, but obviously not as advanced as the Toshiba SCiB batteries that Mitsu says will be used in the next model.
     
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  7. Roy_H avatar Roy Harvie Posted: 8/19/2012 7:54am PDT

    Thanks for the clarification.
     
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  8. fb_1079063409 avatar Jeff Riley Posted: 8/17/2012 7:40pm PDT

    My problems with the i were low-tech on my test drive: glare on the plastic gauge cluster cover made the gauges unreadable and lack of seat and mirror adjustment made forward visibility obstructed.
     
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  9. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 8/20/2012 3:54am PDT

    @Jeff: Fair points, although the little Mitsu is far from the only car in which we've had glare through the back window making instruments unreadable.

    Also a little surprised at your problems with the seat and mirror adjustments. I didn't have any problem there, and found outward visibility decent (once I removed the miserable rear-seat headrests that blocked rear vision). I'm 6'0" and average build, not sure about you?
     
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  10. sustainable2020 avatar Erik Roberts Posted: 8/17/2012 11:21pm PDT

    Seems like the Mitsu i is quite up to par w/ the competition yet. I'll look forward to a refresh soon that will bump up the range to near 100 miles n give it a few more creature comforts up front. Other then that it seems like a fine, little inexpensive EV.
     
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  11. fb_599454693 avatar Jan Durzynski Posted: 8/18/2012 12:00pm PDT

    The majority of Mitsus in stock are loaded and retail for $35K, a far cry from "inexpensive". Considering that Mitsubishi sells an average of one i per day, it's unlikely that we'll see a "refresh" of any kind soon if at all. If they can sell the Citroen version for $13.6K in Europe (August promotion in France), this is what the remaining stock should go here for.
     
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  12. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/18/2012 2:29pm PDT

    Yes, Mitsu made a mistake shoving SE Premiums onto dealer lots (and into reviewers's hands for that matter). They're a lot less car than a Leaf for not a lot less money; a similar set of gadgets, but not as well integrated, and a much lower-rent interior. The sweet spot in the line-up (at least for me) is the ES w/the QuickCharge Package, which run over $7K LESS than the Leaf SL, and a great deal if you want CHAdeMO but don't care about the fixin's.

    I'm not sure why the U.S. SE models have such lame interiors - browner plastic and seating fabric is not the stuff of upgrades. The U.K. version can really look premium if you want; click here and choose "Tamashii":

    http://www.mitsubishi-cars.co.uk/imiev/interior-360.aspx
     
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  13. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/18/2012 2:44pm PDT

    You're missing something important in that price - the Europeans don't include the cost of batteries, which can be purchased or leased; the U.S. cars all include the batteries.

    I really wanted an EV now for some specific reasons, and got the total deal I needed on an i-MiEV ES to make it worth doing. But if you can wait and you're in the right markets (the coasts mainly), I do expect a lot of those SE Premiums to sell at a steep discount, though probably still more than $20k after tax credit.
     
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  14. sustainable2020 avatar Erik Roberts Posted: 8/20/2012 2:44pm PDT

    Yes Jan inexpensive...compared to its competition. Consumer Guide shows the i starts at 29K msrp n 31 for the SE. Throw in federal, state, and local incentives and the price gets down to the low 20's for most folks in the i markets. That's inexpensive compared to the other EVs in its class and for EVs in general when you stop....and think....of how many thousands you'll save on fuel n maintenance with an EV.

    I still wouldn't buy it nor recommend it to anyone yet...not for at least another year or two so till Mitsu gets the bugs out n range up a little more...for the same price.
     
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  15. fb_1470388190 avatar David Laur Posted: 8/18/2012 10:35am PDT

    dont read too much into the "estimated" range effect of the A/C. i found it to be very misleading in my LEAF as well.
     
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  16. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/18/2012 2:14pm PDT

    I'm surprised Mitsu didn't give you a better vehicle orientation session before letting you out. The "one" cupholder you mention is for the rear seat; the front has two cupholders that drop down right in front of the side vents (convenient for keeping your soda chilled) - if you don't know they're there, they just look like part of the dash. They're actually pretty handy.
     
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  17. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 8/20/2012 3:55am PDT

    @Ule: Thanks for the tip! Yep, missed 'em entirely (and will look for them next time we drive an 'i'). I still want more bins and pockets and so forth on the console, though. Among cell phone, sunglasses, toll tickets, and so forth, there's just not enough space.
     
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  18. fb_785354826 avatar Johnny Mars Posted: 8/19/2012 7:28am PDT

    For a little more moolah, you can get a Volt, and forget the range anxiety. Like other plug-ins, it's way, way overpriced and will languish on the showroom floor. Price this car at $22k after tax credit and you'll have a winner.
     
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  19. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/20/2012 4:12pm PDT

    You have your wish - the i-MiEV ES is less than $22k after the tax credit. The SE trim doesn't have much of interest, really - do we really need a mfr's nav system any more? Or a 360W surround system in an EV? (the ES has a perfectly fine 100W AM/FM/CDMP3). Mitsu keeps screwing up by putting the SE Premium forward as the "main" version of the i-MiEV, but that car just doesn't make a lot of sense price-wise; the ES is the real winner at almost $5k less.
     
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  20. eporteous avatar Eric P Posted: 8/19/2012 10:40am PDT

    The Leaf is so much better in lots of ways, I just don't see a reason to go for this. A Leaf feels solidly built, has a very tight turning radius, great acceleration, better range, is very comfortable inside, and handles like a little track car.
     
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  21. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 8/20/2012 3:56am PDT

    @Eric: Well, this one is undeniably easier to park in crowded urban settings due to its tiny length ... but, yeah, I'd consider it much better competition for a Leaf if it were a few thousand dollars cheaper.
     
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  22. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/20/2012 3:47pm PDT

    But John, it is much MORE than a few thousand dollars cheaper. If you want a basic EV w/Level 3 charging, you'll spend over $7K more for the Leaf - that ain't peanuts. I'll go back to an earlier comment - Mitsu has made a terrible mistake in giving reviewers SE Premiums. Those cars are nearly $5K more than the base ES, and provide nothing like $5K more value; were that my only choice, I'd buy the Leaf. I've read reviews that say things like "This is the upgrade interior? What's the base - burlap?" and I can't blame 'em - but the truth is if you want to picture the ES interior, just color everything that's brown the same as everything that's black, then take out the chrome trim and the leather wrap steering wheel. It's perfectly fine.
     
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  23. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/20/2012 3:53pm PDT

    To clarify about the $7k price difference - Mitsu offers CHAdeMO as a $700 option on the base ES, while Nissan only bundles it in the ~$2k ugprade to the SL trim level. If you don't need the fancy stuff and can live with 15% less range, but think it prudent to have access to Level 3, the i-MiEV is an unbeatable value.
     
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  24. fb_781593890 avatar Stanislav Jaracz Posted: 8/20/2012 7:01am PDT

    I am owner of iMiEV and I have been driving it since March 2012 in New Jersey. I am disturbed of so many negative reviews by so called experts, who own and operate gasoline cars and just think the way they operate their cars they will operate EVs and kill them because they don't function as conventional cars. Let me state here that my typical range is around 80 miles, which involves mostly local driving with light occasional A/C usage. Why occasional? Because I don't think I need it, because I am the actual EV driver - not just test driver who wants to demonstrate that EV's have limited range. My record range was on my recent trip to Long Island and I was able to reach 93.4 miles on a single charge with 1 mile remaining.
     
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  25. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 8/20/2012 10:31am PDT

    Sure, but you can't expect everyone to be like you. If we want EVs to take off and become mainstream, then the EVs have to function similar to the existing cars. We can't change buyers, we can only change cars to match buyer's need.
     
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  26. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 8/20/2012 1:13pm PDT

    I think the "so-called experts" are actually the EPA, who are, well, actually experts at doing this type of testing.

    62 miles is what they say and it is the lowest range of any EV for sale (excluding EREVs).

    Although it is valuable to hear some first-hand anecdotes, I will place my bets with the actual experts (EPA or any large agency consistently testing cars.) and yes, journalists have to go more into the anecdote column of the ledger as doing scientific inquiry is not their strength.
     
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  27. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 8/20/2012 2:46pm PDT

    Well, you are giving too much credits to the "EPA" as "car experts".

    Let me give you an example, one that you are familiar with. Prius Plugins. EPA rated it as 6 miles All Electric range when we know in fact that ranges varies from 0 miles to 15 miles depending on how you drive. So, why the 6 miles Rating? B/c in its test cycle, that is where they "press hard" on the "gas pedal".

    So, is that "expert" testing biased without explaining what actual "electric" range is? To pure Prius Fans, their cars can do 15 miles Electric, but in real life, it varies from 0-15 miles...

    EPA doesn't provide those information. The journalists and real time "car magzine" reviewers do...
     
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  28. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 8/20/2012 6:42pm PDT

    EPA provides a written procedure and clear results showing the Plug-in Prius travels 11 miles and uses a certain amount of wall electricity and a certain amount of gasoline. The numbers are available on their website.

    No journalist, car reviewer, or car owner even comes close to providing such accurate information. In fact, most journalists don't really understand the Plug-in Prius and the challenges of measuring the efficiency of a blended mode hybrid and to say otherwise is really giving too much credit to journalists that don't understand the difference between KWH and KW.
     
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  29. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 8/20/2012 8:20pm PDT

    That gives "false" assumption that Pip can travel as an EV with those ranges when it can't...

    I will ask you again, does any PIP owners dare to leave the house with empty tank and go for a 11 miles drive on daily basis?
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  30. fb_1559222512 avatar Xiaolong Li Posted: 8/20/2012 8:41pm PDT

    Well, also EPA only measures MPG, it doesn't measure anything else like handling, acceleration and other performane or ergo issues. So, knowing MPG doesn't make EPA a car expert.
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  31. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 8/21/2012 5:06am PDT

    Regarding the "false assumption", I kind of agree with you.

    However, this is the fault of Journalists not the EPA.
    Please look at the EPA web site.
    http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/Find.do?action=sbs&id=32484
    It says "11 miles gas/elec" Nowhere does it show EV only range. That is a product of bad reporting (mostly).

    Compare that with how it is reported on GCR and you will see the problem.

    Of course, it would probably be better and cleaner if it worked like an EREV (straight up, no sarcasm implied).
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  32. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/20/2012 4:22pm PDT

    The EPA rating is probably fair for comparison purposes, but it's a lousy indicator of actual range. Nearly all i-MiEV drivers are besting that 62 mi., probably because they're not barreling down the freeway at 75 mph w/the heater blasting. You can drive the car any way you like if you're only going 30-40 miles a day, but if you want to go 50-60 and keep a couple of bars left on the gauge (just to be cautious), it's best to avoid freeways and use the heater sparingly (heated driver's seat helps).
     
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  33. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 8/20/2012 5:59pm PDT

    @Ule: That's ine for early adopters, EV fanatics & other small groups.

    But can you imagine any gasoline car being sold with the advice that it's better not to use it on freeways & not to use the climate control?

    That's a sacrifice mainstream buyers will NOT accept. They may accept limited range if it "seems" to be high enough--120 miles was the consensus among commenters earlier--that they "think" it will be enough for their needs.

    Quite frankly, no matter how rational the reasons for buying a plug-in car may be, retail car buyers do NOT make particularly rational buying decisions. Try as we may to explain, they persist in buying cars based on what they think. That's reality.
     
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  34. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/20/2012 11:15pm PDT

    Ya, I know - and I cheerfully admit to being an EV fanatic since my first day driving a Prius back in '04 - the sensation of cruising along w/o the clatter of an ICE is a special kind of fun. But for the broader audience, I guess I'm just bemoaning the fact that this tech's better, more affordable, and more widely available than it's ever been, yet it seems every improvement is greeted with increased "requirements". Ed Begley Jr.'s catty rejoinder is truer than ever - it's a pity the limitations of EVs limit their usefulness to only 90% of households. That number's high, but I really believe the Leaf and i-MiEV would be perfectly capable players in most of the multi-car household fleets out there.
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  35. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 8/21/2012 2:48am PDT

    @Ule: I don't disagree that the Leaf and the i-MiEV could serve perfectly fine roles as a second or third car in *many* circumstances for many households.

    But getting the car-buying public to understand that is a long haul, and if the widespread availability of affordable plug-ins depends on convincing people to buy a car in which they really shouldn't use the AC much--it won't happen.

    Re/the Mitsubishi 'i': I liked it, and I could live with a real-world range. But in NYC, it gets hot in the summer. The fact that the range decrease from using the AC prevented me from going to a destination (Breezy Point) within my own city (!!) is a significant drawback.
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  36. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/21/2012 12:31pm PDT

    A very valid beef re the trip to Breezy Point. I'd say three things, one unhelpful:

    1) i-MiEV is pessimistic about the effect of A/C on range. But no, I'd still not drive 25 miles to dest w/41 mi. range remaining and no opportunity for charging en route.

    2) Nissan Leaf might be a better fit in that environment, given its marginally greater range. It's not a lot, but if it's the difference between making some trips or not, it would be worth a lot.

    3) (unhelpful) Contrary to the marketing strategy of the manufacturers, I think the Northeast and SoCal megalopoli are ill-suited to EVs. Too much sitting in traffic running HVAC, huge sprawl, etc. Much better fit for isolated towns w/limited sprawl (I'm in Albuquerque).
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  37. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 8/20/2012 6:49pm PDT

    The EPA factors this in and gives both city and highway numbers. Manipulating their data a little suggest
    69 miles city or
    55 miles hwy

    This is probably not fair off of reality given the feedback from LEAF owners versus EPA ratings.
     
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  38. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/20/2012 11:37pm PDT

    All I can say is feedback on forums suggests the 62 mi. figure is "very conservative" to the point of misleading for real-world non-winter driving conditions; the heater definitely seems to be a problem, exacerbated by what many note is poor insulation (so not a good bet for Minneapolis, but I'm in Albuquerque). That's just the physics of it, though - heat competes for energy instead of being thrown off as ICE waste (there have been rumblings from Nissan about reduced heating load in the 2013 Leaf, I'm assuming from switch to heat pump and maybe added heat capture from motor). By next week, I should have mine in, and we'll see how things go in September.
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  39. fb_100003987574819 avatar Ule Amra Posted: 8/20/2012 4:30pm PDT

    I think what bugs a lot of us is that the EPA highway MPG numbers are notoriously optimistic, so a lot of buyers would naturally assume the range numbers are similarly unattainable in "real world" conditions. Just the reverse is true - for whatever reason, the EPA has chosen to be much more conservative in estimating EV ranges. Given the consequences of running out of charge (vs. not quite making the mileage you'd hoped for in your Fiesta), that's probably understandable, but I think it's important that green-minded buyers know that it's pretty easy to beat those numbers when driving your EV in a suitably non-manic way.
     
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  40. fb_781593890 avatar Stanislav Jaracz Posted: 8/20/2012 7:01am PDT

    How can you do that? Well, at first place, you have to own the car and know it. That does not happen in a couple of days. The measures that I have taken involve proper driving style in B-mode, modest acceleration, max speed 40 MPH and yes, I did not use A/C. If I set the speed limit to 65 MPH, use A/C carefully (still feeling comfort), I am confident to reach 75 miles of range. I just don't understand how someone, who sits in the car for a few days says the range is only 58, 41 or even 37 miles and writes article on respectable site. Early in my ownership, I have done challenge test by flooring my iMiEV in D-mode on a Highway with heater on and the estimated range was around 45 miles, so yes, you can drain the battery quickly.
     
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  41. fb_781593890 avatar Stanislav Jaracz Posted: 8/20/2012 7:02am PDT

    Have I done it since then? No! Why should I? Why should any other owner/driver? Journalists are not owners, they don't care ...
     
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  42. john_v avatar John Voelcker Posted: 8/20/2012 8:35am PDT

    @Stanislav: Thanks for the comments; they're a valuable contribution.

    If I'm the "so-called expert" who only owns and operates gasoline cars, I can assure you I've driven plug-ins from Nissan, GM, Ford, Toyota, Honda, Fisker, Tesla, Think, Wheego & one or two more I've forgotten.

    Any electric car maker expects to sell high volumes of a car that doesn't provide the features of a conventional car--and a "comfortable" range, whether it's 75 or 120 miles--is likely to find the car won't sell. Case in point: Think.

    I test plug-ins doing the same things I'd do in a gas car because that's how most owners will use them. Your extreme adaptability is not likely to be replicated by most buyers.
     
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  43. fb_781593890 avatar Stanislav Jaracz Posted: 8/20/2012 3:01pm PDT

    John,
    Thank you for your response and sorry for the tone of my previous contribution.
    Further to me being EV driver, I have recognized that the range we are talking about is a daily range. Gas drivers (99.9xx% people) are shopping for fuel just like for groceries, they travel to gas stations and this has been habit for a century. The same drivers don't recognize that their daily commute is typically less then, say 40, 60 or 80 miles (you can assign percentile for each, I don't have these figures) and their cars are doing nothing at night. EVs function on a different scheme - you refuel your car in your home overnight and you don't have to travel for fuel. You know it well but consumers do not.
    Definitely, EVs are not for long trips.
     
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  44. sustainable2020 avatar Erik Roberts Posted: 8/20/2012 3:01pm PDT

    Hi John V and Stanislav,

    It seems to me that you are both right. Mr. Jaracz is frustrated because the GCR team tested the Mitsu i as it does other conventional cars during the drive and testing time...with two people, A/C going, and some probably faster then speed limit driving at times. Consequently, range suffers dramatically.

    However, many of the first owners of the second gen Prius and current owners of new, efficiency oriented EVs(Mitsu i, Leaf, Focus EV) tend to drive the vehicles at lower speeds and with efficiency more part of our driving experience then the "average American" vehicle driver. Consequently, these drivers usually attain or often surpass EPA estimates.
     
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  45. fb_781593890 avatar Stanislav Jaracz Posted: 8/20/2012 3:07pm PDT

    ... and btw, I don't think my adaptability is extreme. I used to be gas car driver, I used to make hard acceleration and then breaking.
    We are trying to guess future, here, but we are taking part in shaping it. Electrification of US mobility, if successfull would be a hell of a revolution!
     
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  46. fb_1001015277 avatar John Briggs Posted: 8/20/2012 6:50pm PDT

    Must have been "hard acceleration" if you ended up "breaking" the car.
     
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