As part of environmental and energy actions, MMC launched research of electric vehicles (EV) in 1964, the year in which Tokaido Shinkansen Bullet Train started the service and the first Tokyo Summer Olympic Games were held. i-MiEV represents the crystallization of some 40 years of electric vehicle development at Mitsubishi Motors as well as the pioneering EV that will open the door to the next 100 years of our automobile society.The launch of mass production and sales of the EV, which generates zero emission gas including CO2 during driving, was announced ahead of other automakers around the world. It marked the significant turning point in the automobile industry.
The vehicle, which is built on light vehicle "i", comes with a large-capacity and high-performance lithium-ion battery and a compact but highly-efficient motor etc. By introducing integrated vehicle control system "MiEV OS (MiEV Operating System)", into which MMC's knowhow acquired from years of EV research and development is incorporated, comfortable, safe, secure and, at the same time, energy-saving driving was enabled such as the function to completely shut down high voltage system in case of collision and ensure safety of passengers and rescuers. Taking advantage of motor function which generates high torque immediately right after the departure, we have realized smooth acceleration and highly responsive dynamic driving without any lug during shift transmission or vibration of engine. We also adopted the system to charge the vehicle easily at home. The vehicle also boasts sufficient mileage for daily use. The spacious cabin, which makes maximum use of long wheelbase, means there is enough interior space for four people including luggage room.
"i-MiEV", which has been highly appreciated for its high environmental performance, quietness, driving performance and economy, was widely used by not only environmental-conscious customers but also various countries and municipal governments for a wide range of purposes such as official cars, police cars, taxis and rental cars.
Immediately after the East Japan Great Earthquake in 2011, in response to the needs of the disaster-hit area where shortage of gasoline was getting more and more serious, we provided free of charge more than 90 units of i-MiEV for support as doctors' house-call cars or vehicles for transportation between evacuation centers. Based on the request from those in the disaster-hit area, we launched in 2012 power supply device "MiEV Power BOX" developed for supplying power stored in "i-MiEV" to home appliances etc. In the same year, we concluded the first cooperation agreement in Japan with Kyoto Prefecture, under which "i-MiEV" and "MiEV Power BOX" will be used as portable emergency power sources in case of a natural disaster.
Despite a series of improvement, production of "i-MiEV" was terminated in 2021 without changing generation. EV technology expertise accumulated through development and production of "i-MiEV", however, has formed the foundation for electrified vehicles including our Plug-in Hybrid EV System incorporated into Outlander PHEV, which was launched in 2013, and others.
