Picking up my Mitsubishi I MiEV tonight

[Evadman]

For some ungodly reason, I tend to buy this crap too soon. My first SSD was a $500 intel that sucked out loud, and now I am getting a 100% electric mitsubishi i MiEV, and will be the first one in my state that owns one. So yeah, probably not the best move. let's find out!

Besides the fact the car is ugly as sin, it seems decent on the inside. After all the tax rebates the car ends up costing about $18k. I spend that on fuel in 2.5 years, so my payback for the entire car should be slightly less than that. I am trying to convince work that they need a charger, so I will hopefully not even need to pay for electricity. Even if I have to pay for it, it will cost me just under $9 for the electrical equivalent I used to pay $67 for in gas. There's basically no maintenance on the car, the first oil change is in 240 months. My round trip to work is within range, so this car should work fine. 90% of my miles are to/from work, with some other short trips on the weekend. I am keeping my FJ, but trading in my dodge, which has served me well these last 10 years. Your unstoppable forward progress will be missed, but your MPG will not.

I loved the look on the face of the dealer when I went there last week with my truck. Trading in a truck that weighs 8800 lbs for this fugly, small electric car. Going from 5.5 MPG to 112; an improvement of 2,036% It has to be some kinda record. Hopefully I can get a pic of my truck and the i, it will be a hilarious picture. I am positive I could drive over the MiEV with my truck.

I'll let you all know how it goes. And the first thing that will be going is the drivers seat. Very much not a fan of the one in the car, and will replace it with something else when I get a chance. And yes, the car is even uglier than the aztec. I didn't think that was possible.

 

[busydude]

It looks like the Tata Nano.

I am interested in knowing the daily impressions of an electric car owner. Glad to have one in this own forums. Hope everything works out for you.

 

[Eli]

Wow, awesome! Very interested to see how it works out for you!

 

[skyking]

right on! I'd like to take a look at one.

 

[MovingTarget]

Let us know your experience with this. I've been considering an electric vehicle as my commute is only 8 miles one way.

 

[NutBucket]

Awesome.

As far as alternative energy goes I thought about buying a Civic GX last year. There's enough CNG stations around to make it workable but it just seemed a touch expensive. CNG costs at a station aren't terribly good either and being an apartment dweller home refueling wasn't an option.

 

[ViviTheMage]

good luck, god speed .. I couldn't do it. haha

 

[LTC8K6]

You're welcome.

The taxpaying public.

 

[Doppel]

It really is satanically ugly, but $18k total is not bad. Its range seems ok. I'd like to get a Nissan Leaf but I don't believe I could stomach paying more than $20k OTD for it, so it has another $5k at least to drop before I'd consider.

 

[Evadman]

It really is satanically ugly, but $18k total is not bad. Its range seems ok. I'd like to get a Nissan Leaf but I don't believe I could stomach paying more than $20k OTD for it, so it has another $5k at least to drop before I'd consider.

The i is slightly over 1/2 the cost of the leaf (the leaf would be about $30k for me) The leaf looks way better, and has about 100% more range. I was on the waiting list for a leaf, but I decided it wasn't worth the cost premium.

You're welcome. The taxpaying public.

This is very true. If my calculations are correct, each taxpayer in the US was nice enough to give me 0.0052 cents, including myself. Thanks for that! they will be giving me more too when I install my Level 2 charger.

 

[manimal]

You're welcome.

The taxpaying public.

never mind figured it out lol

 

[mmntech]

I never got the appeal of electric cars. Sure they don't cost as much to run but you're limited to a very narrow range. Where as the best electrics can go 100km on a good day, you can get a diesel that will do almost 1000k for the same price. I guess if you never leave the downtown core of your major city, they make some sense.

 

[MovingTarget]

The i is slightly over 1/2 the cost of the leaf (the leaf would be about $30k for me) The leaf looks way better, and has about 100% more range. I was on the waiting list for a leaf, but I decided it wasn't worth the cost premium.



This is very true. If my calculations are correct, each taxpayer in the US was nice enough to give me 0.0052 cents, including myself. Thanks for that! they will be giving me more too when I install my Level 2 charger.

ATG is waiting with suspense. What time do you pick it up?

Also, did you choose the iMiev over the leaf/volt/smart for any other reasons than cost? Why that electric?

 

[SyndromeOCZ]

What motor did you have in your truck that was getting you 5.5 !?! My 08 dodge diesel gets over 15 unless I'm pulling a heavy load going 80, and then it gets 10.

 

[Dr. Detroit]

Seen a few of these roaming the streets of the Bay Area - first time I saw one on the street and not at the SF Auto Show I thought it was one of those large golf-carts.

Good luck with it - will be interesting to see if the range holds up over the years.

 

[Eli]

I remember it being pretty ugly, but I just looked it up and it's not that bad.. certainly not into Aztek territory? It reminds me a little bit of a cross-eyed cat. Goofy and bug eyed, but still cute in other ways? lol

I'd love to have an EV. Use this thread as your blog please.

/Wonders what putting 20k into an EV Insight would get me....

 

[vi edit]

*really* not trying to be a negative nancy here...but I just can't get into the EV line of thinking when you have something like the Prius C for a similar price without the crazy rebates and pulling upwards of 60MPG. By the time you cover the electricity cost, the cost of the chargers, the cost of running a 240v service to your garage, and the limited range...

I can appreciate the feeling of giving the middle finger to some Exon Oil exec swimming around in a pool of 100 dollar bills...but I'd still be stuck driving that thing

Glad you like it though, that's really what's important. And kudos for you for making that big of a transition from what you had before.

 

[Viper GTS]

*really* not trying to be a negative nancy here...but I just can't get into the EV line of thinking when you have something like the Prius C for a similar price without the crazy rebates and pulling upwards of 60MPG. By the time you cover the electricity cost, the cost of the chargers, the cost of running a 240v service to your garage, and the limited range...

I can appreciate the feeling of giving the middle finger to some Exon Oil exec swimming around in a pool of 100 dollar bills...but I'd still be stuck driving that thing

Glad you like it though, that's really what's important. And kudos for you for making that big of a transition from what you had before.

Pretty much my feelings on EV in general. Battery technology is just too limited to really be useful, and my commute is all of 3 miles. It's stressful enough driving a car that averages ~115 miles per tank and I can fill it at essentially any gas station in the US in under 10 minutes including a trip inside to buy a drink.

Viper GTS

 

[Evadman]

*really* not trying to be a negative nancy here...but I just can't get into the EV line of thinking when you have something like the Prius C for a similar price without the crazy rebates and pulling upwards of 60MPG. By the time you cover the electricity cost, the cost of the chargers, the cost of running a 240v service to your garage, and the limited range...

I did all the math, you are correct, a good hybrid and this are decently close in total amount paid over the next 5 years (what I did all my math on) but the MiEV still wins. Only by a few grand, but it still wins. I intend to only drive this to/from work, and I am unsure how everything will work out. I'm all for trying new things. You are not being a negative Nancy at all by pointing out facts. The MiEV fits me from all my research, but it won't fit everyone.

I never got the appeal of electric cars. Sure they don't cost as much to run but you're limited to a very narrow range. Where as the best electrics can go 100km on a good day, you can get a diesel that will do almost 1000k for the same price. I guess if you never leave the downtown core of your major city, they make some sense.

You're right on the range being different part, but cost per mile is also important. I only need 34 miles range, and once a week, 44 miles (all round trip). This gets between 62 and 100 for range, so I have a comfortable 33% margin on the low end for my needs.

ATG is waiting with suspense. What time do you pick it up?

About 30 minutes ago.

did you choose the iMiev over the leaf/volt/smart for any other reasons than cost? Why that electric?

Cost was the major factor, but Nissan was being annoying with having to get a home inspection and get a charger put in for about $2500.

What motor did you have in your truck that was getting you 5.5 !?! My 08 dodge diesel gets over 15 unless I'm pulling a heavy load going 80, and then it gets 10.

Gas 488ci V10.

Here's the MiEV vs my truck. Bye Ram, you served me well these past 11 years.

 

[jlee]

That's pretty cool..hope you like it!

I do find it amusing that Mitsubishi was only accepting preorder payments via Paypal, and arranged with Best Buy for home charging station installs...at least according to wiki.

 

[Eli]

I'll assume you factored in maintenance and such? Oil, plugs, flushes, etc add up...

 

[JulesMaximus]

Awesome! I really like the Nissan Leaf. If I could get work to put in a charging station I'd totally rock one.

 

[Evadman]

I'll assume you factored in maintenance and such? Oil, plugs, flushes, etc add up...

Yeah, I factored those in. Actually the MiEV needs an oil change. Every 240 months.

 

[Eli]

Yeah, I factored those in. Actually the MiEV needs an oil change. Every 240 months.

That's twenty years...

Is that the Normal, Light Duty, or Severe Service maintenance schedule?

Gotta admit, I'd probably have a hard time not changing it after say, 7 years..

 

[LTC8K6]

http://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/reviews/hybrid-electric/2012-mitsubishi-i-test-drive

http://news.consumerreports.org/cars/2009/12/behind-the-wheel-mitsubishi-imiev-electric-car.html

Couple of reviews. Don't think I could live with a car that slow.