 2012 Mitsubishi iMiev. Click image to enlarge |
An interesting feature of the iMiev is a noise-maker mounted in the front of the car to alert pedestrians to the approach of the otherwise-silent iMiev. It operates between 3 and 30 km/h with a sound akin to an electrical whine; after that the sound of the electrical motor is loud enough to perform the same function. We found the noise-maker very difficult to hear, particularly if there were other traffic noises around – and we couldn’t hear it behind the car when reversing. Mitsubishi might have to turn up the volume a bit.
The iMiev has three driver-selectable Drive modes: Drive mode which provides full power and standard regenerative charging when braking and coasting; Eco mode which reduces the power available but increases regenerative braking; and Brake mode which offers full power but the strongest regenerative braking.
We found Drive mode to be the most suitable for city and highway driving. It offers the best throttle response and the least drag from the regenerative brakes. Eco mode makes the iMiev sluggish under acceleration and adds drag when braking and coasting, but this mode will give you a longer driving range and is best used when cruising on the highway; Brake mode is a weird combination of full power and strong drag when braking and decelerating. However, if the battery is low on power, this is the best mode to be in because it offers the maximum charging while driving.
   2012 Mitsubishi iMiev. Click image to enlarge |
The driver can watch how economical their driving style is on the real-time battery charging gauge (Eco-meter) in the instrument cluster. It indicates when the battery is being charged (blue), when the battery is using minimal power (green), and when maximum power is being drawn (grey and white). As well, a small “fuel” gauge on the left shows how much charge is left in the battery.
There are actually two batteries in the iMiev: the main 330-volt lithium-ion battery powers the electric motor, air conditioning and heater, power brakes and power steering. All other accessories – wipers, power windows, power locks, radio, defroster, and optional navigation system – run off the standard 12-volt battery.
The lithium-ion battery can be charged three ways: using 120-volt, 8-amp household power, it take 22.5 hours to charge the battery from zero to full charge; using 240-volt, 15-amp power, it takes 7 hours to fully charge. With a DC quick charger, such as the ones available at a limited number of charging systems in Canada, the iMiev can be charged to 80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes.
A 120-volt charging cord is included with the price of the iMiev, but 240-volt cords must be purchased separately. These plug into the rear passenger side of the vehicle. The DC quick-charger plug is located on the front driver’s side.
Obviously, charging the iMiev using 120-volt household current is impractical if you drive it everyday and want to charge the car overnight. However, if you have a house or townhouse, a 240-volt charging system can be installed in your home or garage at your expense (approximately $1,500 to $2,500), allowing the iMiev to be charged overnight and driven daily. Before a buyer can purchase an iMiev, Mitsubishi requires an inspection of the buyer’s home charging facilities, whether 240-volt or 120-volt, to make sure they can adequately handle charging the car.
It’s worth noting that most apartment buildings don’t have 240-volt chargers, leaving apartment dwellers little incentive to buy electric cars that require longer than eight hours to charge on 120-volt current.
