GT5 EV Day Trip with i-MiEV

Mitsubishi i MiEV at Ahrweiler

The introduction of electric cars really put a twist on Gran Turismo 5. One of them is the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, the first mass-produced electric car from Mitsubishi Motors. It was launched in July 2009 for fleet customers in Japan and in April 1, 2010 for the general public.  Mitsubishi once said that they would expect 1,400 units sold in March 2010 but when the i-MiEV became sold to the general public, they've expected 5,000 units sold per year.

Essentially based on the Mitsubishi "i" kei-car, this electric vehicle is powered by a YF41 electric motor that produces 64PS of power and 18.4kg-m of torque. Upon driving the i MiEV, I realize that this car is very silent. You can't hear it shouting, yelling, bellowing, or roaring. It's like a flying car from the future. Because this is an electric car, you can recharge the batteries at home or at your nearest charging station. One full charge takes about 7 hours with 200V and 14 hours with 100V.

Some say, he doesn't like electric vehicles.

A game like Gran Turismo 5 is not all about racing, it's all about mobility to a whole new level but the i MiEV wasn't such a good car for me to try it. Because it's electric, no power upgrades are available. What you can make it up is the Limited Slip Differential, Suspension, Tires, and weight loss. There is nothing beneficial about driving the i MiEV except when you're planning a historical i MiEV-only race with your online pals on GT5.

Guess this road trip was too long, eh?

Despite that, a game like GT5 had given us the opportunity to test drive the i MiEV virtually and it has given the future of mobility to a whole new level. However, this car was not the future. We're petrolheads and we know why...

If the Nissan Leaf comes on GT5 via DLC this week, I'll compare these two very soon...

How did an owner of the Mitsubishi i MiEV goes Biribiri?

Biribiri lands to this i-MiEV

Spotted at the 2011 Ita-G Festa, what you see is not some kind of a Mitsubishi i-MiEV you would expect.

The owner of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV uses its "electric car" advantage to make an itasha i-MiEV fully loaded with everything BIRIBIRI! That is, Mikoto Misaka from the To Aru series. Obvious? Because she's BIRIBIRI, the owner took an advantage to her powers in order to create an i-MiEV itasha packed with everything Mikoto Misaka. You would wanna guess where would the i-MiEV charger attached? Simple, to a pile of Misaka Sisters figures.

If electric cars became a common, who can make an electric itasha?

Scoop: http://carview.co.jp/news/0/154582/

Peugeot iOn

2011 Peugeot iOn

Also under the partnership between Mitsubishi Motors and PSA Peugeot Citroen, the Peugeot iOn shares the same electric car status as the Citroen C-ZERO and the Mitsubishi i MiEV.

Since both the Peugeot iOn and the Citroen C-ZERO were both built by Mitsubishi Motors and sold for the European market, most European buyers can experiencing some confusions on which electric car they would buy. For Peugeot fans may choose the iOn and for Citroen fans may choose the C-ZERO.

More importantly, both the iOn and the C-ZERO are equipped with the Mitsubishi YF41 motor that can go for about 160km in one full charge. And yes, a full power goes from about 6 hours of charging. Power output is 64PS/3,000-6,000r.p.m. and torque output is about 18.4kg-m/0-2,000r.p.m.

MY THOUGHTS ABOUT THE ION:
I guess both the Peugeot iOn and the Citroen C-ZERO are the same coins for European customers, even when built from Japan via Mitsubishi Motors under their partnership. However, as for my point of view, I would either go for the Peugeot iOn or the Citroen C-ZERO for its eco-car status. 6 hours of charging may take up to about 160km, which means that this electric car can go places around the European continent.

Photo: PSA Peugeot Citroen

Citroen C-ZERO

2011 Citroen C-ZERO

Zero, meaning none or a blank, which also means no value. In hybrid car terms, the number "zero" refers to zero emissions, a huge step for the clean future of the automotive industry. At the center of the number zero, the Citroen C-ZERO is born to be a zero, zero emissions for Europe.

Under the partnership between PSA Peugeot Citroen and Mitsubishi Motors, the Citroen C-ZERO is based on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric hybrid compact. Aside from that, Peugeot also uses the i-MiEV platform for its European OEM, the Peugeot i0n.

As a 100% Electric Vehicle, the Citroen C-ZERO is powered with the magnet synchronous motor, capable of releasing a power output of 64 bhp EEC/3,000-6,000 rpm and the torque output of 180 Nm/2,000 rpm. This motor is powered with the 330-volt lithium-ion battery system, which was sourced from Mitsubishi Motors in Japan.

Recharging the C-ZERO is simple as charging your portable devices. The C-ZERO comes with the 220-volt plug that can be charged to about 30 minutes to six hours.

My thoughts about the C-ZERO:
Since both the Citroen C-ZERO and the Peugeot i0n were made by Mitsubishi Motors, responsible for the i-MiEV, both of these eco cars were equipped with the YF41 electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. Both of these were offered exclusively for the European markets. Consider these a European-Japanese agreement when it comes for the future of the automotive industry going green.

Photo: PSA Peugeot Citroen

Mitsuoka Like

2011 Mitsuoka Like

With the inception of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV (an electric vehicle based on the Mitsubishi i), and PSA Peugeot Citroen readies for the rebadged versions such as the i0n and the C-Zero, it seems that Mitsuoka is joining the OEM bandwagon as it released the i MiEV-based Like electric vehicle.

Like (Japanese: Raiku, 雷駆) is Mitsuoka's first electric vehicle that was based on the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. The front view of the Like is a different point of view because it's part of Mitsuoka's tradition to redesign cars out from existing ones such as the March-based Viewt, or the Corolla-based Galue 2-04. One glance at the Like's front view and you may be shocked by its eccentric face.

With the eccentric view, the Like is powered with the Mitsubishi YF41 electric engine. It operates at the power output of 64PS/3,000-6,000rpm and the torque output of 18.4kg-m/0-2,000rpm. The charge outlet for the Like hybrid can be about 100-200V, so its best to plug it in the right outlet.

My thoughts about the Like:

The Mitsubishi i MiEV-based Mitsuoka Like has an eccentric front view but with the heart of a true eco car becuase this is Mitsuoka's first electric vehicle designed for Mother Nature. I might think of it as a crowning glory of electric vehicles but the Like is the most eccentric electric vehicle designed for someone special...

Photo: Mitsuoka Motor Co., Ltd.

The other brands' take on Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Last June 2009, Mitsubishi Motors commenced the launch of the world's first electric car in the public. The Mitsubishi i MiEV truly literates Mitsubishi Motors' brand slogan "drive@earth" and this is the electric car that started it all before the advent of the Nissan Leaf. About the i MiEV, this is the first car that it uses lithium-ion battery as its main source instead of gas fuel. It's powered by a YF41 hybrid engine that produces 64PS of power.

While waiting for Mitsubishi Motors Philippines to bring the i-MiEV to our shores, some brands trying to use the i-MiEV's body for some purposes... 

Take a look on what we got:

PSA Peugeot Citroen uses the Mitsubishi i-MiEV for their mainframe as their OEM versions known as the Peugeot i0n and the Citroen C-Zero, both of these i-MiEV OEMs will be on sale at the rest of the European peninsula this year. Not only that, there is also something that you shouldn't believe:

Mitsuoka Motors, the brand behind the aggressive Orochi coupe, the Morgan Roadster-cloned Mazda Roadster-based Himiko, and the Galue sedan, unveiled their modified version of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV, known as Like. But why Like? What do they like most? The only thing Japanese like the Like is for its hybrid capacity. Even it is an electric vehicle based from the i-MiEV, the exterior design is another part of the Mitsuoka story.

No matter which country you are on, no matter which style do they look on their i-MiEV, this electric vehicle is a part of the commitment for the eco-lovers. With the rising gas-prices, and the case of global warming, this electric vehicle will once save the world.