Mitsubishi i-MiEV Sport Air concept.

At the recently concluded Geneva Auto Show, Japanese auto maker Mitsubishi announced its entrance into the electric vehicle market via the i-MiEV.

Aside from this they also announced their newest study-the Mitsubishi i-MiEV Sport Air concept.

The idea that is the “innovated Mitsubishi Electric Vehicle” has been around for several years now.

Most memorable was the 2005 Mitsubishi Colt, the company’s first mass produced electric vehicle.

The year after the Lancer EVO MiEV and two other concepts were introduced.

In 2007, the i-MiEV concept was presented to the world.

When comparing the two, one sees the different directions that the vehicles are going to take.

The i-MiEV looks somewhat like a Honda Fit only with a shorter snout.

The i-MiEV Sport Air has a more flat, ground hugging appearance.

The i-MiEV Sport Air concept is a continuation to this line, and a direct descendant to the acclaimed i-MiEV Sport show car.

The i-MiEV Sport had a range of 125 miles and a top speed of 112 mph.

With today’s advances in electric vehicle technology, one can but imagine what the Sport Air will achieve in terms of speed and range.

While the rest are building electric sedans and coupés, Mitsubishi apparently want to get into the electric sports car side of the market.

Talk to your San Antonio Mistubshi Dealer.

Last November at the Los Angeles Auto Show, MINI, the makers of that cute little pug of a car that you will either love or hate, announced that it is formally throwing in its hat in into the electric vehicle basket by way of the MINI e.

The MINI e has a range of approximately 150 miles and a regulated top speed of 95mph making it the fastest electric vehicle in its estimated price range.

The title of fastest I believe still goes to the Tesla Roadster at 130mph.

With all this said, Mitsubishi, the makers of the i-MiEV are hot on everybody’s heels.

A few months ago at the Geneva Auto Show, not only did Mitsubishi formally unveil the i-MiEV, they also announced their newest study – the Mitsubishi i-MiEV Sport Air concept.

The Sport Air if all goes according to plan will be the continuation of the i-MiEV series and again if it goes according to plan will be a cabriolet version of the i-MiEV.

Looking at the vehicle, the large curved glass atop is indeed removable but obviously not storable inside the vehicle itself.

The other question in our minds is if whether or not the front and rear windscreen goes when you take the top down.

You can get even more info from the San Antonio Mitsubishi Dealers.

Mitsubishi Motors has announced plans to start selling its iMiEV, the world’s first commercial electric car that runs entirely on electricity.
A plug-in hybrid would let drivers operate the car for longer distances by allowing them to plug in for a recharge.

Unlike hybrids and plug-in hybrids, purely electric cars are seen as primarily suitable for short-distance driving in cities.

The production of an electric car has been held back by the high costs and limited lives of batteries.
At The recent Paris Auto show Mitsubishi Motors Corp said it will begin testing its electric cars in Europe next month.

The four-seater i-MiEV hatchback is based on Mitsubishi’s “i” gasoline-engine minicar sold only in Japan.

Mitsubishi wants to be the pioneers of the zero-emission vehicles.
Running purely on electricity, electric cars have no tailpipe emissions.
There are 440 pounds worth of lithium-ion battery packs under the floor for stability and the electric motor in the rear.

Acceleration is also superior to a gasoline engine thanks to a high-performance motor that generates high torque from a low speed.

But demand would depend largely on the car’s price, which consists mostly of next-generation lithium-ion batteries.

Electric cars are one-tenth the operating cost of a gasoline car if charged at night when electricity is cheaper.
With a a full battery and a top speed of 80 miles an hour, the i-MiEV has a cruising distance of 89.5 miles.

Charging takes about seven hours using a 200-Volt outlet, Quick-charger stations could reduce that to less than an hour.

There is no target Date for the appearance in the US for arrival at Mitsubishi Dealerships.