Mitsubishi has announced it will increase production of i-MiEVs, as orders have far exceeded expectations. The Nikkei reports that Mitsubishi’s battery suppliers have been told that they plan to make 9,000 i-MiEVs this year. Lithium Energy Japan, a partnership between GS Yuasa, Mitsubishi Motors and Mitsubishi Corp., will make enough packs for 7,000 cars while GS Yuasa will make an additional 2,000 packs. The car, which has been available to corporate customers in Japan since last year, goes on sale to the general public there in April.

This i minicar from Mitsubishi replaces four-speed automatic transmission with a two-position gear selector that lets you choose Drive or Eco mode. And where the tachometer normally goes on the instrument panel, this i sports a meter that indicates the charge status of the battery and the discharge rate. But the most critical innovation is the replacement of conventional nickel-metal hydride batteries in favor of the latest, state-of-the-art lithium-ion kind. Smaller, lighter and more powerful, these batteries are being co-developed by Mitsubishi Motors, GS Yuasa Ltd. and Mitsubishi Trading Co. See your Bloomington Mitsubishi dealer for more.

Powering the electric-powered iMIEV is a rear-mounted, permanent-magnet synchronous motor developing 63 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque. It jumps from rest to 60 mph in under 9.0 seconds on its way to a top speed of 82 mph. Flick the gear selector into Eco and the power output drops automatically from 63 hp to 43 hp, extending your cruising range. In ideal conditions, the i MIEV gets 100 miles on a full charge. Learn more at your Mitsubishi Bloomington car dealership.

As for charging the battery, there’s a three-way system. There’s plug-in recharging using the Japanese grid, which takes 14 hours for a full charge on a 100-volt domestic outlet or half that time on a 200-volt industrial outlet. There’s also a Mitsubishi-built quick-charge system that replenishes 80 percent of the battery charge in just 30 minutes. And if you charge at night, you can reduce your running costs by 87 percent compared to the conventional gasoline-powered i. If you take into account the CO2 emissions produced by Japan’s electric power plants (most use nuclear power) that produce the electricity required to refuel the car, then the i MIEV emits only 28 percent of the CO2 of a comparable gasoline-powered i.

For for on the Mitsubishi iMIEV and other Mitsubishi vehicles, visit your Bloomington Mitsubishi dealer.