Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Bigger is Better: Mitsubishi's US-Spec Wide-Bodied i-MiEV Revealed Ahead of LA Show

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These are the first official photos of the North American version of Mitsubishi's i-MiEV all-electric city, which will have its world premiere at the Los Angeles Auto Show, to be held from Wednesday, November 17 to Sunday November 28.

Mitsubishi-iMiEV-4Even though big ideas can come in small packages, for most things in America, consumers believe that "bigger is better" and "better is bigger". And seeing what happened with Mercedes-Benz and its Smart Fortwo mini, Mitsubishi decided to "fatten-up" the North American version of the i-MiEV, and make it bigger than its Japanese- and European-spec counterparts.

"[The i-MiEV] features an enhanced, enlarged body structure to secure plenty of space for four adults and better meet the expectations of U.S. consumers," said Mitsubishi in a statement.

With this and that, the wider and longer US-Spec i-MiEV measures 3,680 mm / 144.9" (+258mm or +9.8") in length, 1,585 mm / 62.4" (+110mm or +4.3") in width, 1,615 mm / 63.6" (+5mm or +0.2") in height.

In addition to the larger frame, the North American-spec i-MiEV gets a new set of front and rear bumpers as well as some interior changes.

Mitsubishi has not yet released details on the U.S. model's electric-drivetrain. The smaller JDM version of the plug-in EV is powered by an electric motor with 64HP (47kW) and 180Nm (132.8-lbs/ft) of maximum torque, driving the rear wheels. A full charge of the lithium-ion batteries is said to offer a driving range of up to 100 miles or 160 km.


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