OwnerDaniel Gallagher
Owner's Other EV1980 Lectric Leopard
LocationEphrata, Pennsylvania United States map
Web/EmailWebPage email image
Vehicle2012 Mitsubishi iMiev
Econobox EV that's both fun and eye-catching. Great regen and better seating position (compared to the 2012 Leaf) that were available at the time.
MotorMitsubishi
Drivetrain66hp AC motor single drive 7.065 gear ratio
Batteries88, 3.70 Volt, Lithium-Ion
System Voltage330 Volts
Top Speed85 MPH (136 KPH)
Good space and ease of entry/exit. Great
visibility and unique looks.
AccelerationA little pokey for EV acceleration, but
compared to it's economy class ICE cars,
quite nice
Range62 Miles (99 Kilometers)
EPA rated, which I've found is quite a
good ballpark. I've gone further, maybe
80 max, but that's so boring and
stressful it's better to just use another
car. Or, make sure you have two possible
sources to charge up midway. In winter
or with high speeds, range can drop to
50, but with some careful
monitoring/cycling of the heater, the
effect can be mitigated to some extent
(but I'd not recommend this car for
really cold climates or without overnight
garage parking).
Watt Hours/Mile205 Wh/Mile
Worked this backward from the EPA rating
range and battery capacity. So, we can do a
little better sometimes, in winter and on
highway, quite a bit worse.
EV Miles
Current:22,000 Miles (35,398 Kilometers)
Seating Capacity4 adults
Curb Weight2,600 Pounds (1,181 Kilograms)
Additional FeaturesIn Early 2012 when we were looking for a vehicle, this was
about all that was available in Pennsylvania as a pure EV
other than the Leaf. The Leaf is a slightly better build,
but the driving experience was a bit impersonal for me and
the seating a bit more cramped feeling.

The iMiev has great inside space and although it fits only
4, I think those 4 have almost as much space as 4 in a Leaf,
and definitely more than 5 in a Leaf.

The cheaper price, ability to add Quick Charge without
upgrading other unnecessary components, and simpler driver
experience was what sold us on the iMiev. After a 16 months
now, we have no regrets (yes, range could be better ... but
that was always a known limitation and rarely becomes an
issue for us in our environment).
In summer of 2014 we took a trip to the Pennsylvania "wilds" North of State College, PA. It was roughly 200 miles one way, but was possible due to new Quick Chargers at Sheetz in Harrisburg and State College (with one additional stop at a campground between the two). The car performed quite well and range estimates were generally good enough to keep us from freaking out too much about range.

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