[CheeseHead91182]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/d...leId=124867?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..1.*

The Sounds of Silence



By Peter Lyon, Contributor Email
Date posted: 02-20-2008

Listen carefully and you might hear the slight whir of its motor, the hint of wind noise and a faint thrum from the tires. Think whisper; that's how quiet this minicar is.

Could this be the sound of future driving? If Mitsubishi has its way, then this Mitsubishi i MIEV — a test bed for an electric vehicle scheduled to be introduced for 2010 — makes a pretty strong case for it. This particular car is one of a 30-vehicle test fleet that's running around Tokyo right now.

At Mitsubishi's first driving demonstration of its i MIEV (Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle) prototype, we jumped behind the wheel to check out the sounds of silence.

Mitsubushi is coming up with thier own plug-in hybrid to be released in 2010. It would be really funny if this car comes out before the Prius plug-in and Volt.

 

[ToySlinger]

http://www.motortrend.com/features/auto_news/2008/112_0802_affordable_volt

A good motortrend article on the current state of hybrids. I tend to agree with the article in that I don't see plug-ins being a major force in the hybrid game -- replacement costs are astronomical. Nor do I see Toyota falling behind anytime soon as they are basically the only real player at this point.

 

[Sulu]

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/d...leId=124867?tid=edmunds.il.home.photopanel..1.*



Mitsubushi is coming up with thier own plug-in hybrid to be released in 2010. It would be really funny if this car comes out before the Prius plug-in and Volt.

Sorry, I don't mean to be anal, but it is a plug-in electric vehicle, not a hybrid; this car does not have an alternate, "range-extending" (e.g. internal combustion engine) power source that the Volt and Prius plug-in hybrid electric vehicles will have.

 

[ToySlinger]

good point. And while I don't think plug-in hybrids will be a factor any time soon, I do think the purely electric car will be mainstream in 10-15 years as battery technology advances exponentially every year. Right now the cost-benefit equation is too far outta whack.

 

[Tideland Prius]

good point. And while I don't think plug-in hybrids will be a factor any time soon, I do think the purely electric car will be mainstream in 10-15 years as battery technology advances exponentially every year. Right now the cost-benefit equation is too far outta whack.

True but the PHEV gives the best of both worlds, no?

EV when you need it (short trips, around town etc), hybrid when you need it (longer trips, road trips/vacations etc).

I mean, technically, a PHEV can be an EV all its life (although I question the quality of the fuel in the tank after several months of non-use).

 

[JustAnotherAsian]

why do these fuel-saving concepts have to look like ass?

/rant

 

[100$ GUY]

For starters is good, has better drivability than the standard model, is supremely quiet and serene, its fast, and has easily 60 miles of range without need to recharge it. More than enough range for every day use. :thumbup::thumbup:

U can even recharge 80 percent of the battery in 30 minutes!!!! :clap: