2013 Mitsubishi I Suggestions

[Ozimiev]

So a newer, lighter and more efficient emotor ????

Given the present emotor is 95%+ efficient already that last part has me wondering.
Newer ? OK, this year's model
Lighter ? I guess that a kilogram matters but...

Hey, if they really want to move the technology on then leave those bits alone and work on the battery.
Make it lighter and more capacity (efficiency itself is already very high).

I'm happy with most other things on the i.
Doesn't the iMiEV evo get 80kW out of the same emotor ?

Oh, and why not use reverse cycle airconditioning ? Rather than the kettle in the present i.
It would be so easy with the mitsubisbi inverter aircond system used presently.
A reverse cycle aircond (heat pump) would use 300% less energy for heating. Now that would be worth crowing about.
Well maybe an issue in very cold climates. It never gets below zero where I am.

LED headlights and high beam.... yes, that would help with long slow drives at night.

 

[alohart]

So a newer, lighter and more efficient emotor ????

Given the present emotor is 95%+ efficient already that last part has me wondering.
Newer ? OK, this year's model
Lighter ? I guess that a kilogram matters but...

That greater efficiency apparently results in more power (196 Nm vs. 180 Nm) with less electricity used (E.U. range increased by 10 km). I would probably have preferred making the new motor even smaller such that the power was unchanged but the range was increased even more. Relatively small improvements, but even more important to me is that this suggests that Mitsubishi might not be abandoning the i-MiEV immediately (well, at least the slim-boy non-North American versions). With terrible U.S. sales, I wouldn't be surprised if Mitsubishi pulls the plug on the fat-boy North American version while still updated the non-North American versions.

Hey, if they really want to move the technology on then leave those bits alone and work on the battery.
Make it lighter and more capacity (efficiency itself is already very high).

There is obviously lots of ongoing work to improved battery efficiency, but this apparently takes time. I understand that Japanese i-MiEV versions can be purchased with a Toshiba battery pack that could be quick charged frequently without as much degradation, but it might be heavier. That battery pack might not be an improvement for those who don't quick charge frequently.

Oh, and why not use reverse cycle airconditioning ? Rather than the kettle in the present i.
It would be so easy with the mitsubisbi inverter aircond system used presently.
A reverse cycle aircond (heat pump) would use 300% less energy for heating. Now that would be worth crowing about.
Well maybe an issue in very cold climates. It never gets below zero where I am.

I think a few other EV's use a heat pump for heating as well as cooling, but as you point out, they aren't so efficient at low temperatures. But they must be more efficient than the current resistance heater. Maybe their heat output at low temperatures isn't high enough. I would think a small resistance heating element could be used to augment the heat output at low temperatures. This would be a nice improvement. Buying heated clothing as some are doing just isn't a big selling point to those who aren't EV fanatics.

LED headlights and high beam.... yes, that would help with long slow drives at night.

Seems like a small improvement at what might be a large cost. Nissan is apparently removing LED headlamps from its new base model Leaf to reduce its cost considerably. The 2013 i-MiEV needs to cost less, not more, so let's hope that the price isn't increased.

 

[Don]

A reverse cycle heat pump might be fine in theory, but I suspect it's not too practical in the real world . . . . especially not to heat something as poorly insulated as a car - They don't even work all that well in very well insulated houses when it gets cold out

The current resistance heater draws 5Kw and does a fair job of keeping you comfortable with a 40 or 50 degree temp differential - it's 20 or 30 outside and you'd like it to be 70 or so inside. The current A/C system uses about the same power (4.5Kw) and it does a fair job of keeping you comfy with a 20 or 25 degree temp differential - It's 95 or 100 outside and you'd like it to be 75 or so inside

Heat pump efficiency at low temps is much worse than A/C efficiencies, so I sure don't see any '300% energy savings' by trying to use a heat pump for warming a car when it's 20 or 30 degrees outside - I suspect if the heat pump drew the same power as the A/C does (which is also about the same energy the resistance heater draws) the car would never get even lukewarm inside

Don

 

[TXCharlie]

These overlap other suggestions already listed because they are critical to the success of the car.

1) Cruise control - that's the first thing i missed!!!

2) put standard 110V 15a and 220v 30a male plugs (or roll-out extension cords) on the car so you can pull up to a standard light outlet, dryer outlet, 220v A/C or stove outlet, plug in without any special $800 adapter box, cord, and start charging. The $550 110V box and $800 220V boxes are unnecessary equipment since the car contains all the charge regulation circuitry. The expensive boxes are obviously very dumb, unnecessary peice of hardware to inflate the price.

3) the remote only has 3 change bars on the battery. It should display the full 0-65 milage range and the same number of charge bars as on the "fuel" display m

4) hookups for range-increasing portable generator which can supplement battery power as you drive. Should also include an exhaust hose and mounting hardware for common brands of generators.

6) Hookups to charge batteries from low-voltage solar cells, with adaptable charge regulators to accept solar panels with wide wattage ranges, from 20w onboard trickle chargers to home mounted 1000 watt pv and windmill systems.

7) an air horn - the Road Runner cartoon - like beep-beep is cute but couldn't get the attention of anyone listening to loud music.

8) optional normal width tires. The narrow tires look unsafe.

9) optional front-mounted charger port, so I won't have to back into my garage.

 

[Don]

Put standard 110V 15a and 220v 30a male plugs (or roll-out extension cords) on the car so you can pull up to a standard light outlet, dryer outlet, 220v A/C or stove outlet, plug in without any special $800 adapter box, cord, and start charging. The $550 110V box and $800 220V boxes are unnecessary equipment since the car contains all the charge regulation circuitry. The expensive boxes are obviously very dumb, unnecessary peice of hardware to inflate the price.

All EVSE's no matter who made them come with computer circuitry to enable a 2 way communication with the car's onboard charger. The car cannot be safely charged without that, so they're not 'unnecessary'

Send your OEM EVSE off to http://www.evseupgrade.com - For about $325, they will modify it to supply 12 amps to the car using either 120 volts or 240 volts. With the correct pigtail twistlock adapter (about $25 each) you can plug it into just about any power outlet on the planet

Part of the problem with doing this is there are so many different sockets. The standard 120 volt household outlet is one, there are two different dryer sockets (one 3 prong and one 4 prong) and the range outlets are different still. RV parks use two different 120 volt sockets, one for 30 amps and one for 50 amps. No matter what EVSE you buy, it's only going to plug into one specific socket . . . . unless you buy adapters for all of the others

Don

 

[Don]

Hookups for range-increasing portable generator which can supplement battery power as you drive. Should also include an exhaust hose and mounting hardware for common brands of generators.

I'll go way out on a limb here and bet my next paycheck that you're not a lawyer

The thought that any major car manufacturer would even suggest (let alone help you implement) that you should be able to drive an enclosed car with a gasoline engine running in the passenger compartment is just way beyond belief - The resultant lawsuits would put Mitsubishi completely out of business

When I see the GM commercials for the Volt where the owner is bragging that they haven't been to a gas station for so long they forget how to put gas in the car, I think "Those folks bought the wrong car"

When I hear that someone suggests using a running genset *inside the car* so they can go further, I think . . . . "That guy should have bought a Volt!" - Maybe a trade with the lady who can't figure out how to put gas in her Volt? :lol:

Don

 

[TXCharlie]

That's why I included an exhaust hose in my proposed "redneck Volt" design, to satisfy the lawyers' possible objection to poisoning the passengers with CO from my range-boost generator :mrgreen:

OH - The charge plug could really use a built-in LED flashlight and charge indicator, too!

The first night I tried to charge the car, I was puzzled why the plug wouldn't mate to the socket. It was a pitch-black night, so I didn't notice that the rubber cover was still on the plug. I removed that, but I seemed to still have problems sticking it in, so I finally retrieved my flashlight from the glove box. I wasn't aware that it had an interior cover too.

Then after I got it all plugged in, I bumped my head on the open hatchback gate trying to see whether the little red charge indicator on the dashboard was lit or not (BTW, the steering wheel has to be turned at the precise angle, otherwise the concussion will be in vain) :shock:

To this day, I still also forget to flip the charge cover release under the dash when I get out of the car at night - every weeknight for the last three months. I may have to do some redneck engineering on the charge cover latch, so it can be opened from the outside, at which time 10w white LEDs blast the whole area with 1,000 lumens of light so I can see how to plug it in.

Then it needs some cool blue LEDs chasing around the charge port to indicate it's charging, so I won't get another concussion on the hatchback gate trying to see the little red charge indicator on the dashboard with the steering wheel turned at the wrong angle.

 

[DonDakin]

Hi,

I don't know if this has been suggested before but one thing I would like to have is a beeper on the car so that when you unplug it in the morning you remember to close the charge port inner and outer doors. I constantly forget to do this and I wind up seeing it passenger rearview mirror and getting back out to close it. Since these doors are opened and closed at least twice a day I think it would be nice to have an audio chime near the rear of the car as a reminder that they are open This could be an option that you might turn off once your "trained" to shut it.

Don.....

 

[Don]

OH - The charge plug could really use a built-in LED flashlight . . . .

I built one into the center of the 5 pins in the charge handle on the Open EVSE I built from scratch. It's powered by the EVSE and only lights when you push down on the release button - There's a thread here somewhere showing pictures of that project

I agree such an LED should be standard equipment on the charge handle of every EVSE sold . . . . especially when you consider that it could probably be done for $1.50 or so if it was engineered into every charge handle. It sure is a blessing in a dark garage

Don

 

[nt2w]

(edited for context here)

OH - The charge plug could really use a built-in LED flashlight and charge indicator, too!

I bumped my head on the open hatchback gate trying to see whether the little red charge indicator on the dashboard was lit or not (BTW, the steering wheel has to be turned at the precise angle, otherwise the concussion will be in vain) :shock:

Then it needs some cool blue LEDs chasing around the charge port to indicate it's charging, so I won't get another concussion on the hatchback gate trying to see the little red charge indicator on the dashboard with the steering wheel turned at the wrong angle.

This is evolving to a pet peeve for me- one cannot look at the charge gauge without opening the door! The Nissan LEAF has a nice blue LED charge indicator on the dash that is visible through the windshield- the MiEV could use this, or some other indication that's visible from outside the car.

Cheers-

Rich

 

[aarond12]

I've owned my i for one week now. Here is my short list: :lol:

1. Put speakers in the rear doors for the ES model. The wires are already there!
2. The shifter is ridiculously notchy. Why do we have to navigate a maze to put my car into "B" mode? How about push buttons?
3. Wider front tires would be nice. The car gets squirrely on the freeway with grooved pavement.
4. The "Ultraman" wiper blades could be consolidated into one blade like the US-model Yaris hatchback.
5. More power wouldn't hurt, but isn't absolutely necessary. It's adequate now.
6. The fancy remote looks (and sounds) like it came from the 90s. Yes, I turned off the sounds.
7. Give us a switch to turn off the low-speed vehicle sound. Even the Prius has that.
8. Have some basic power consumption data easily available without having to using my KillAWatt device.
9. Make the USB cable standard. The radio is already set up for it. C'mon. I have to pay $125 for the cable?!
10. Set the rear seat hinges in the center of the seat back a bit so I can put a child car seat in the middle.
11. A more car-shaped design might be better accepted by the US market. Tesla's "frunk" is a great idea!
12. Put a badge on the back/side stating this is an electric car. Doesn't have to be gaudy; most other EVs have this.

That's about it for now. I'm really enjoying this new car!

 

[alohart]

1. Put speakers in the rear doors for the ES model. The wires are already there!

We SE owners have to have something for our extra thousands Look at it this way: it's easy to install your own choice of speakers since the wiring is already there.
.

2. The shifter is ridiculously notchy. Why do we have to navigate a maze to put my car into "B" mode? How about push buttons?

I agree wholeheartedly!

3. Wider front tires would be nice. The car gets squirrely on the freeway with grooved pavement.

I would like to have the same size wheels and tires front and back. Some have speculated that the wider rear wheels and tires are carried over from the ICE version which is more rear-heavy.

4. The "Ultraman" wiper blades could be consolidated into one blade like the US-model Yaris hatchback.

The non-North American versions have only a single wiper. I'm guessing that a single wiper would not be sufficient for our wider windshield.

7. Give us a switch to turn off the low-speed vehicle sound. Even the Prius has that.

I believe that a new Dept. of Transportation regulation dictates that a low-speed vehicle sound must be included on all E.V.'s, and that this sound cannot be turned off. But I don't think this regulation is in effect yet. I think someone in this forum surmised that a switch could be installed in the wire to the speaker that produces the sound, so it might not be difficult to install a on-off switch yourself.

8. Have some basic power consumption data easily available without having to using my KillAWatt device.

Yeah, some of us would like a lot more instrumentation to let us know more about what's happening with our cars.

9. Make the USB cable standard. The radio is already set up for it. C'mon. I have to pay $125 for the cable?!

I believe someone in this forum posted recently about being able to add a USB cable without too much trouble.

11. A more car-shaped design might be better accepted by the US market. Tesla's "frunk" is a great idea!

A "frunk" would make the i-MiEV longer which would decrease its usefulness for those of us who live in cities where parking and maneuvering are easier with a shorter car.

12. Put a badge on the back/side stating this is an electric car. Doesn't have to be gaudy; most other EVs have this.

I agree, although my i-MiEV does have the blue side decals that include the text "Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle". Unfortunately, these decals are part of the fairly expensive ($300) two-tone white/blue package. My license plates include the text "Electric Vehicle", so "Electric Vehicle" is visible from all directions:

That's about it for now. I'm really enjoying this new car!

Me, too! My one-month anniversary just passed.

 

[aarond12]

My license plates include the text "Electric Vehicle", so "Electric Vehicle" is visible from all directions.

Congrats on one month of gas-free driving! When I was in Hawaii last year, I noticed the special license plates like that. We don't have that in Texas. Maybe I'll find some license plate holders that say "Electric Vehicle" instead of the dealership name.

 

[gatedad11]

1.Passenger seat warmer
2.Arm rests

Have only had the car for 5 days, and have zero complaints. Naturally, a little larger battery capacity would be nice, as I love driving the car, but in the Northeast, we have to use the heater a bit and it does reduce range.

 

[MLucas]

My license plates include the text "Electric Vehicle", so "Electric Vehicle" is visible from all directions.

Congrats on one month of gas-free driving! When I was in Hawaii last year, I noticed the special license plates like that. We don't have that in Texas. Maybe I'll find some license plate holders that say "Electric Vehicle" instead of the dealership name.

I like the 'Electric Vehicle' better, people are still confused by 'Green Vehicle'.

 

[Lithim]

Regarding cruise control:

With the limited range of the current electric vehicles ( Tesla excluded) is cruise really needed for the short trips that most drivers will be doing?
Just a thought.

New i-Miev owner, ES model, silver
Houston

 

[jray3]

300% as many opening/closing cycles on the driver's door in order to check state of charge (and forgetting to unplug before entering the vehicle)? :lol:

 

[olagon]

10. Set the rear seat hinges in the center of the seat back a bit so I can put a child car seat in the middle.

You can do this now. I was able to attach two different car seats and position in the middle.

 

[jray3]

I like when folks put their other vehicles on the signature line, as RobbW has added. It shows the automakers that, for instance, Robb was an excellent candidate for a new luxury touring sedan, but opted instead for an iMiEV. This shows that EV buyers can be normal consumers, and not just a core group of wing nut early adopters that have already voted with what few dollars they had.
:lol:
-Jay

 

[RobbW]

Wow! I've only been a member for a few days and already got a mention in a thread that I had not yet even posted in! And a positive mention, to boot!

Yes, while "technically" (i.e. financially) we probably could have opted for a fancier more luxurious vehicle, my wife and I are usually adverse to dropping that kind of coin, especially on material "things". The two ICErs in my signature were both purchased used; the Sienna as recently as last September. We prefer to blow our wad on life experiences such as vacations and activities with our two daughters. You know, memories and experiences that you can't lose, destroy, get repossessed or stolen!

During this most recent episode of car shopping, we almost talked ourselves out of purchasing a new vehicle on multiple occasions. The thought of taking on a hefty car payment when we already have two cars that are fully paid off was quite a weight on our shoulders. However, my wife's G20 is getting VERY long in the tooth and needs to be replaced. With all the incentives and rebates and 0% financing that Mitsu threw at us, it was hard to say no, especially as it meant a brand new car with a warranty. We have wanted a more fuel efficient vehicle for the longest time as nothing we have ever owned would rightly be considered "efficient". We never looked at EVs because we simply assumed their starting prices were well outside of our comfortable price range.

Then came the i-MiEV and all that changed! We bought it to be our secondary car (replacing my wife's) and our commuting vehicle. Turns out this little mouse on wheels fits our hectic to-and-fro lives like a bug. With our daily commute and quick running about on the weekends, the i does everything we need it to for those purposes. I actually feel kind of sad for our minivan as I used to enjoy driving it immensely (other than the horrendous MPGs). Now, it just sits there unused and unloved. You can almost hear its block engine heart breaking in two.

Anyway, we love our new i and enjoy drive it around for everything we possibly can. If I had any suggestions for Mitsubishi regarding a new model year, this is what I would like to see:

1. Definitely agree that I would like to see a tasteful EV badge of some sort on the back end. Nothing too flashy, gaudy, or hippy; just stated matter-of-factly. My wife is concerned we'd look like pretentious d-bags flaunting our MPG superiority in other drivers' faces. I tried to push for a custom tailgate decal that read, 'It's Electric! Boogie Woogie Woogie!" but was promptly shot down before I got the second "woogie" out! Instead, I custom designed my own license plate frame that reads "got watts?"

2. Seat warmers all around! Why should only the driver ride in comfort?

3. I would love to see an option for a full-length moonroof or skyroof or whatever those entire-roof-is-a-window things are called. Not that I'd actually opt to pay for that option, but I can only imagine it would be neat as heck and make the interior feel more open and roomy. What the heck, make it standard since I wouldn't want to pay for it!

4. Definitely needs an armrest. Yeah, definitely. Definitely. I had to install my own as I just cannot drive without an armrest.

5. More cupholders! One in the rear cabin just isn't enough. There are two seats back there. It should have a minimum of two cupholders for the rear occupants.

6. Make the EVSEupgrade-style cable standard. Why force customers to pay up to an extra $1000 to have L2 charging capability? I already opted to have an L2 charger installed in my garage, but not everyone wants to have to go that route for quicker charging.

7. Offer light-colored interior as an option (tan/beige/brown/whatever). My wife HATES dark interiors, but we are making do with the i's dark interior since there are so many other positives about this car. But we definitely would have gone out of our way to get light interior if it was even an option. Heck, we went out of our way just to get the i-MiEV itself; having it shipped up from a downstate dealership and buying it sight unseen.

8. Yes, it's #8 but it's actually a biggie for me. Preload EVSE stations into the navigation system!!! How the heck does a 100% electric vehicle NOT come with charging stations loaded into the GPS? Seems like a total no brainer to me! And as far as I can tell, there is no way to get them loaded without meticulously hand-entering EVSE's as POIs.

9. The AVAS. C'mon. What's with the subtle hum? Why not give i owners the ability to select and change AVAS noises to suit their personalities? Why not a noise generator that sounds like the low rumble from a Mustang as you meander through downtown streets, and the subdued roar of a Ferrari as you sprint from the stop line? That would be frickin' hilarious!!!

10. Okay, I'm just going to stop after nine. I don't want to sound like a whiny complaining want-it-all.