In Memory of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV

In a world where every major automaker is focusing on electric vehicles, it’s important to note some of the mistakes made previously. The Mitsubishi i-MiEV was one of the few EV models to be offered that was certainly a sales failure and was killed off after the 2017 model year. In reality, this model never caught on and the brand that offered it didn’t put much of an investment into creating more for this vehicle. Add this to the fact that the EV is part of a brand that has fallen on hard times and it’s really no wonder why this vehicle is going to be killed off and most likely never heard from again.

The model that will be discontinued and never brought back is the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. This little hatchback was sold off in the US with all models gone and no new ones being made. Since the i-MiEV was put to rest, Mitsubishi has released the Outlander PHEV, which offers eco-friendly features in a you-can-do-anything SUV body.

What Killed the i-MiEV?

To start with, the i-MiEV was a model from Mitsubishi that showed up in 2011 as part of the 2012 model year. This vehicle was able to accomplish a total sales number of 2,108 in the US from the time it was offered until July 2017. During that time, one-quarter of the sales occurred in 2012 and another half of the total happened in 2013 making this a seriously slow-selling car over the past four years. To call the sale slow would be almost insulting as many versions of the car did little more than collect dust while on the Mitsubishi lots around the country.

Not only was this a slow-selling car but the fact that the i-MiEV was built the way it had been and offered low numbers when it came to the performance. This EV was powered by a 16 kWh battery back that gave it only 62 miles of range on a single charge. This meant that even those who would venture out into the city could be stuck without enough range for the day if they drove around the city most of the day. In addition to a low range this car had only 62 horsepower and 133 lb.-ft. of torque, making it a car that was difficult to convince many to buy.

In addition to the troubles with sales and power for the i-MiEV, Mitsubishi Motors has faced troubles recently and has been bought as a controlling stake by the Renault-Nissan Alliance to bring the Nissan influence to Mitsubishi. The i-MiEV is dead and it doesn’t appear that anyone is going to be upset over the fact that this EV is no longer going to be part of the lineup. Fortunately for consumers, the competition to create the best electric vehicle is high among automakers and the result is a variety of options that offer better charge life, upgraded interiors, and sporty styles.