What’s it like to drive the Mitsubishi i MiEV electric micro car?
We had our chance to drive and ride in the little critter at the Electric Drive Transportation Association’s (EDTA) ride and drive event in Washington, DC early last month.
The i MiEV is smooth, quiet, and quite unlike a golf cart that some might imagine it to be … not only that, it’s quick off the line to boot. Out in the crowded streets, the i MiEV’s diminutive dimensions are a huge asset. With plenty of that trademark immediate electric motor torque, the i MiEV proves itself to be a fun scoot through city traffic.
Interior space is maximized, and while it is a bit tight, the i MiEV didn’t feel nearly as small as I expected it to be. I had the chance to both drive and ride in the rear seat and had no problem getting into or out of the seats. (Four doors are a great thing in such a small car!)
Don’t expect to see i MiEVs roaming American streets en masse any time soon. The only i MiEVs here now are strictly for testing. While the i MiEV is slated to go into production this year, no plans have been announced for importation into the States.
Nevertheless, MPGomatic is floating the meme for a Celebrity i MiEV Racing Series …
Of all the electric vehicles I saw, drove, or rode in earlier this month at the Electric Drive Transportation Association’s (EDTA) 2008 conference in Washington DC, none can have as immediate and important an impact as Smith Electric’s “Edison” … this electrified Ford Transit van has the potential to revolutionize local delivery for a wide range of firms, both small and large. The Ford Transit goes toe-to-toe with the venerable Sprinter for sheer versatility, offering a remarkable amount of cargo and head room.
When I woke up too late to catch the first session on the last day of the Electric Drive Transportation Association (EDTA) conference in Washington DC yesterday, I decided to play the hand that I was dealt. After checking out of my hotel, I headed over to the show hall with the hopes of being able to catch some of the Senate testimony on a large screen, before the second session.
Not finding the elusive big screen, I trekked down to the show floor only to find an empty space where the Chevy Volt prototype had sat the previous day. With the coffee kicking in, I recalled an email tip. The Volt was over on Capitol Hill, waiting for the cameras and throngs.
What the world needs right now is a new kind of racing. Electric car racing … not in a straight line, but through the twisty bits. BMW would do well to follow Volkswagen’s lead (with their successful Jetta TDI Cup program) and create a racing series for the Mini E.
Imagine a Mini E racing series, with a dozen or so Mini E race cars piloted by celebrities. Each car would be fully outfitted with cameras fore, aft, and inside the cabin. The races would be livestreamed over the Internet. A legion of fans would follow each event.
Huge potential awaits …
Cable networks are hungry for good clean green entertainment. Hi-tech sponsors would line up for the chance to splash their logos across the flanks of the cars. Celebrities would fight tooth and nail to gain a ride. The public would clamor for this new form of interactive and environmentally-sensitive form of racing. And perhaps most importantly, engineers would gather a remarkable amount of data from each and every car in a fantastically short time frame.
To counter the argument that racing needs to be loud to win over the fans, special audio systems (with bleacher-rattling subwoofers) would be fitted to each Mini E race car. While most mechanical modifications would be prohibited in the spirit of fairness (and to hold down costs), individual teams would develop distinctive soundtracks for each vehicle. The potential for corporate sponsorship is staggering, from video game companies (such as Electronic Arts and LucasArts), through audio companies (like Kenwood, Alpine, and Kicker), and the high-tech world (think IBM, Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Oracle).
Events would take place on each coast, with the initial events in the NY/NJ and LA areas to serve as gathering points for the installed base of Mini E test drivers.
When Mini sent the news about opening up the Mini E Field Trial application this morning, I jumped right on it. The email didn’t sit in my inbox for long. I immediately applied to become a Mini-E test driver. The honor of leasing a cutting-edge full-electric Mini E is only being extended to folks that live in the NY/NJ or LA metro areas. Chalk this up as yet another reason I’m glad I live in New Jersey (just don’t bring up the topic of taxes).
While I won’t share all the secrets of the Mini E Field Trial application process, I will say that it’s a Flash-based application that eats up all available monitor real estate. Needless to say, it was pretty cool to see the silver and yellow Mini E take over my iMac’s 24-inch screen. The application was fairly exhaustive (but fun), and took roughly an hour to complete.
I have my fingers crossed that we’ll be among the 500 people chosen to field test the Mini E for a year’s time. The Mini E is, without a doubt, one of the coolest transportation developments ever. This is a research project like no other and a remarkable chance to help make history. Continue reading →
