The 100,000th EV sold in the US is... a Mitsubishi i-MiEV

Fri, 12 Jul 2013

The news here isn't that 100,000 EVs have been sold in the US, although that's quite the accomplishment. It's that the 100,000th car is a Mitsubishi i-MiEV – a car that takes nearly a full day to recharge on a standard outlet and can only travel about 62 miles per charge (according to the car's Monroney).

Jabs at the Mitsubishi aside, the fact that US dealers have moved 100,000 electric cars is made more impressive in that it's only been done since the latest generation of EVs arrived, typified by the Nissan Leaf, Ford Focus Electric and aforementioned i-MiEV. Chronologically, that means roughly the last two years. It's a number that we can only expect to climb, as EVs gain a stronger foothold among manufacturers and consumers.

Plug In America, an EV advocacy group, crunched the numbers for a contest called #PIA100K, to find the lucky buyer, who would be given a ClipperCreek Level 2 charger (which takes the i-MiEV's recharge time down to just seven hours). The winner, Rich Salmon of Grand Bay, Alabama, picked up his i-MiEV from Pete Moore Mitsubishi.

MITSUBISHI I-MIEV RECOGNIZED AS LANDMARK 100,000TH ELECTRIC VEHICLE SOLD IN THE UNITED STATES

Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.'s (MMNA) breakthrough 100% electric-powered Mitsubishi i-MiEV has recently been named the symbolic 100,000th plug-in electric production vehicle sold in America "since the introduction of the latest generation of highway-capable plug-in vehicles some two years ago," according to the national plug-in electric vehicle advocacy group, Plug In America.

Plug In America recently held the #PIA100K contest to award a ClipperCreek Level 2 electric vehicle charging station to the lucky individual representing the approximate 100,000th plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicle delivery in the United States. Based on "sales data from recent reports," Plug In America determined that Rich Salmon of Grand Bay, Alabama, reached this important EV sales milestone when he purchased a brand-new Mitsubishi i-MiEV on May 16 of this year.

"I was interested in an EV, but I was still on the fence about them," said Mr. Salmon. "But I took the Mitsubishi i-MiEV for a test drive and I liked it, so I bought it." Purchased from Pete Moore Mitsubishi in Pensacola, Florida. Mr. Salmon likes his Mitsubishi i-MiEV so much that the local community center he works with is now looking at acquiring an i-MiEV to use as delivery vehicle for their "Meals on Wheels" program to take advantage of its very low cost of "refueling."

"We congratulate Rich Salmon of Grand Bay, Alabama, on winning Plug In America's #PIA100K contest," said Yoichi Yokozawa, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc. (MMNA). "We'd also like to thank him for buying our all-electric Mitsubishi i-MiEV. With more than 30,000 i-MiEVs and their related vehicles logging countless safe and trouble-free miles on the roads in such dynamic locales as Southeast Asia, Europe, Japan and North America, Mr. Salmon is in good company."

With a net value as low as $21,625*, the fun-to-drive Mitsubishi i-MiEV all-electric 5-door achieves a remarkable EPA-rated 112 MPGe (miles per gallon equivalent) combined/126 MPGe city/99 MPGe highway and has an EPA estimated "real world" driving range of 62 miles (45% highway/55% city driving mix) and 98 miles (EPA LA4 range – mostly stop & go/city driving).

* ES TRIM: $29,125 MSRP - $7,500 federal tax credit = $21,625 after tax credit. SE TRIM: $31,125 MSRP - $7,500 federal tax credit = $23,625 after tax credit. Excludes destination/handling, tax, title, license etc. Actual prices set by retailer. Tax savings subject to rules and availability. Consult your tax professional.

By Brandon Turkus