Photo: Mitsubishi
Before Nissan and Tesla asserted themselves as the premier automakers of electric vehicles, Mitsubishi called dibs on the race for zero-emissions personal transportation with the i-MiEV. Also known as the Peugeot iOn, Citroen C-Zero, and Mitsuoka Like in various parts of the world, the electrified city car has been finally canceled from Mitsubishi’s U.S. lineup amid dwindling sales.
Eight years after its introduction, the i-MiEV currently prides itself on the lowest range and slowest accelerating electric vehicle in the United States. 2017 is the last model year for the Japanese model, as confirmed to Green Car Reports. Commenting about the demise, Mitsubishi highlights: "2017 was the last model year for the i-MiEV, and all available retail units have been sold."
Care to guess how many i-MiEV vehicles were sold in the U.S. between the 2011 and 2017 model years? That’d be 2,018 units, of which half were sold in 2013. To put these figures into perspective, Nissan moved 14,006 units of the Leaf in the U.S. last year, while Tesla prides itself on 29,421 Model S sedans.
It was a slow and excruciating death for the i-MiEV, but Mitsubishi had it coming. Refusing to up its game in the electric vehicle genre is only half the story, for the i-MiEV isn’t exactly the sort of car that would appeal to the American public. Not only is it too small for comfort, but the 16 kWh battery and EPA-rated 62 miles of driving range are nothing short of a practical joke. Pricing is something the i-MiEV had going for it at $23,845 including destination charge, translating to $16,345 after applying the federal credit.
To make matters worse, Mitsubishi’s eco-friendly presence takes a step back in the United States because the Outlander PHEV has been delayed once again. This marks the eighth time since 2013 the Japanese automaker has disappointed prospective customers, and that’s not cool for a company that was snatched up by Nissan amid the overstated fuel efficiency scandal of 2016.
According to Erica Rasch of Mitsubishi Motors North America, the Outlander Plug-In Hybrid will launch later in the year, and dealers are expected to get the PHEV sometime during the first quarter of 2018. For reference, the U.S.-spec Outlander PHEV made its debut in March 2016 at the New York International Auto Show.
Care to guess how many i-MiEV vehicles were sold in the U.S. between the 2011 and 2017 model years? That’d be 2,018 units, of which half were sold in 2013. To put these figures into perspective, Nissan moved 14,006 units of the Leaf in the U.S. last year, while Tesla prides itself on 29,421 Model S sedans.
It was a slow and excruciating death for the i-MiEV, but Mitsubishi had it coming. Refusing to up its game in the electric vehicle genre is only half the story, for the i-MiEV isn’t exactly the sort of car that would appeal to the American public. Not only is it too small for comfort, but the 16 kWh battery and EPA-rated 62 miles of driving range are nothing short of a practical joke. Pricing is something the i-MiEV had going for it at $23,845 including destination charge, translating to $16,345 after applying the federal credit.
To make matters worse, Mitsubishi’s eco-friendly presence takes a step back in the United States because the Outlander PHEV has been delayed once again. This marks the eighth time since 2013 the Japanese automaker has disappointed prospective customers, and that’s not cool for a company that was snatched up by Nissan amid the overstated fuel efficiency scandal of 2016.
According to Erica Rasch of Mitsubishi Motors North America, the Outlander Plug-In Hybrid will launch later in the year, and dealers are expected to get the PHEV sometime during the first quarter of 2018. For reference, the U.S.-spec Outlander PHEV made its debut in March 2016 at the New York International Auto Show.
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