Mitsubishi i-MiEV Taking Over Europe?

Today, Mitsubishi announced that it plans to bring the Euro-spec i-MiEV to 15 European countries. As you know, production started last fall, and Mitsubishi is trying to make it out faster than the Volt or Leaf; and with the Leaf’s recent productions problems and Volt’s low December sales, it may not be too hard.

In addition to the initial 15 countries, there have been requests from the other Europeans, such as Finland, Serbia, Turkey, and Slovenia.

When the US gets hold of the little Jellybean, expect it to be priced around $30,000, and that would be before the tax credit.

The i-MiEV is going to be great for people in small – large cities, where parking is tight and often limited. The i-MiEV will fall under the EV priority category that many cities are implementing into parking spots that include charging stations. Quick charging on the little Mitsubishi will take only 30 min from 0-80% with a specific quick charging station. Max speed is 80 mph and max range is 80 miles.

First photos of U.S.-spec Mitsubishi i-MiEV revealed ahead of LA debut

We first saw sketches of what Mitsubishi's i-MiEV might look like when it arrives in the United States, and now we have the first official images a week before the car's public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Sure, the production-ready i-MiEV you see here loses many of the aggressive-looking elements of the preview sketch, but Mitsubishi has indeed followed through on its promise to offer more robust dimensions and an upgraded interior.

The U.S.-spec i-MiEV is 11.2 inches longer, 4.3 inches wider and 0.2 inches taller than the JDM version. We're glad that Mitsubishi has added a lot of length and width while only minimally increasing height, since that should beef up the rather narrow i-MiEV's stance here on American roads. Inside, the interior looks substantially more comfortable, with a two-tone color scheme and a redesigned center stack, encompassing updated audio and HVAC controls.

Mitsubishi is still targeting an on-sale date near the end of 2011 for the all-electric i-MiEV, with prices coming in below $30,000 (before government rebates). Hit the jump for Mitsubishi's official press blast.