I-MIEV as a UNICORN, only 109 2014s sold in Canada

[Rocky49]

Todays Edmonton Journal lists 10 rarest cars sold in Canada. Number 6 was the 2014 I-Miev with 109 sold, the Nissan Leaf was listed at 1028 units. Number 5 was the Dodge Viper SRt at 107 units. It was interesting to see they sold as many as they did because they spent zero dollars on advertising and promoting the I-Miev in Canada last year. The dealers refused to admit was available and feigned no stock and no interest in ordering any. I am sure I could have bought or ordered any of the other cars on the unicorn list easier than a 2014 I-Miev. The I-Miev certainly gets it shares of gawks and stares and points when out in public. An electric utilities salesmen visited out house last week trying to sell fixed rate electric contracts. My wife said sure we have 2 electric cars. The guy was floored to see two in the same driveway. He said I have heard they exist but I have no idea where people get them and I told him both of ours were imported by me from the USA.

Winter goes on and on, and so does Mitzi the Miev

R

 

[danpatgal]

I was just thinking the same thing after reading that only 3 iMievs were sold in the US this January. Ours is still pulling strong, but it is now quite clear this vehicle will be a rare breed in North America ... and perhaps a collector's item at some point.

 

[PV1]

Does that include used i-MiEV sales? If so, I accounted for 33% of January sales :lol:

 

[fjpod]

The iMiev needs a 100 mile battery to survive.

 

[acensor]

The iMiev needs a 100 mile battery to survive.

That might've helped, but the main reason for its rarity is Misubishi's flawed (non existant) promotion in north America...... and dealers reluctant to stock it (with SOME justification.)

The less-than-100-mile range is not initself a showstopper:

The Smart EV has the same range, costs a few dollars more than the 2014 MiEV (in the places you could find them) and, at least in my green-leaning town in southern Oregon (Ashland) is selling very well. There are probably about 30 of them this town of about 12,000 households.... and they've only been available to buy for about the last 6 months.

Since I have no plans to sell it in the forseeable future, and since it will be viable for me EVEN if the range eventually degrades to as little as 45 miles, MY only fear would be if it got totalled in an accident (being rear ended could do that easily as the official battery replacement cost already exceeds the fair market cost of the car as a used car) the insurer's payoff would be way below what it would cost to replace it.

I'm not too worried about it being unsupported as my local Mitsu dealer does have one well trained MiEV mechanic. There are about 5 of his employees that drive MiEVs ..... they were offered leases at terms they could not possible refuse.
Curious where they will go when the leases run out..... because while the employee's love their MiEVs there is no way they will buy them at the end of the lease (as has been discussed elsewhere here) because of the ridiculously high buyout price.

 

[danpatgal]

Does that include used i-MiEV sales? If so, I accounted for 33% of January sales :lol:

Ha ... I don't think so, just new - as tracked by InsideEVs, here: Monthly Plug-In Sales Scorecard.

I'm still wanting to swap my 2012 for a 2014, since a Fed Credit + PA Rebate really helps, the fly in the ointment has been getting a decent value for the 2012.

What did you pay for your 2012 back in January?

 

[PV1]

About $10,300 all in all.

I wasn't even aware PA brought the EV rebate back until recently.

I did some market research for EV rentals in January at the Pittsburgh RV Show. There's a market for the i-MiEV. The people just don't know about the car.

 

[justidutch]

You can add my 2012 to the list. I bought it from the dealer last October here in Winnipeg, they didn't have a '14 model, just the '12. It had about 8,000 kms on it, the dealer used it as a shuttle car. So technically I bought it brand new even though it was 2+ years old. Don't care, loving it, and it seems to handle our weather just fine, un-modded.

First post!

 

[PV1]

Welcome.

 

[user 1835]

The Smart EV has the same range, costs a few dollars more than the 2014 MiEV (in the places you could find them) and, at least in my green-leaning town in southern Oregon (Ashland) is selling very well. There are probably about 30 of them this town of about 12,000 households.... and they've only been available to buy for about the last 6 months.

Here in north Toronto, the only MiEV on the lot had a $34K sticker on it. No discount offered.
My Smart ED was $26K sticker with $4K discount. More than $10K difference...

Lot's of Smart ED's around here, but seen only one MiEV on the streets, and it was wrapped with a business ad...