New I-MiEV's --- Maybe, maybe not

[siai47]

I just stopped by my local Mitsubishi dealer where I had purchased one I-MiEV and leased another a couple of years ago. Asked my previous sales person about the timing of the PHEV Outlander. She said, "another three months" and then "fall". I told her that I can't wait any longer and have to get another vehicle this summer. I would consider the Outlander but I have been waiting for it for at least two years and at my age I can't wait much longer. Anyway, I replaced the last I-MiEV with a Tesla Model S. Not too shabby, but also not as practical as the I-MiEV (and a heck of a lot quicker). I still make a long trip at least twice a year from Florida to Michigan and even though the Tesla can make it with the supercharger system, I don't feel like taking the extra time and planning to do it. So for a long range occasional use car, most likely Mitsubishi has pushed me into a 2017 Volt. It has an actual EV range of about 15% less than the I-MiEV and then there is of course the gasoline engine. One less Mitsubishi sale

But the topic said "New I-MiEV's". As I was walking out, the owner of the dealership was walking in. He stopped and we talked for a bit about Mitsubishi in general and I noted there were no I-MiEV's on his lot. When I leased my first I-MiEV he had at least 8 to choose from sitting on the lot. This is the same dealer in a County in Florida (which isn't the largest by any means) that had registered nearly half of all the I-MiEV's sold in the entire State! He said, "I think we are done with those". I said "what?--I was waiting for the $99 leases to come back". I mentioned I had looked at national EV sales for the first quarter of 2016 and was surprised there were only 8 I-MiEV's sold in the entire country. He mentioned he was thinking about getting a new I-MiEV for his wife for in town shopping as it was really easy for her to drive and park. When he tried to order one, he was told there were none available. If he can't get one--He owns a large Mitsubishi dealership and also sits on Mitsubishi's board--it doesn't bode well for the future of the I-MiEV or future cheap leases :evil: .

 

[pbui19]

have you looking into leasing a SparkEV ? may be it's not available in Florida. I know of many people here in Northern CA leasing around $75/mon for 36-mon in total, after accounting for the $2500 CA tax rebate.

We have the 2016 Volt, it is surprising as efficient as the iMiev but with the comfort of a full size car. I wish the Volt has DCFC though.

 

[FrostyCanada]

Mitsubishi Canada has the new 2017 iMiEV loaded on their website.
Brian

 

[wmcbrine]

have you looking into leasing a SparkEV ? may be it's not available in Florida. I know of many people here in Northern CA leasing around $75/mon for 36-mon in total, after accounting for the $2500 CA tax rebate.

Yeah, I think those deals are limited to California. At least I couldn't find anything like that in Maryland (although this is one of the few states where the Spark EV is even being sold).

I see Sparks all over the place here, but not Spark EVs.

 

[siai47]

I guess the question is about the 2016 or whatever is the current I-MiEV. Does anyone here own one? Has anyone seen one? I was actually shocked at the 8 sales of whatever they are selling for the entire 1st quarter--it was at the bottom of the list for all EV's (except ones no longer made). However the list did not say what year the sold vehicles were, just that the sales were reported in the first quarter of this year. I really liked the I-MiEV and all of it's quirks. For what it was, I thought it was a well engineered car that did exactly what it was intended to do. The fit and finish of the body along with the packaging of the drivetrain were about as good as any car I've seen. And for the selling price, even the interior was acceptable. They were almost giving them away after the federal credit. You can hardly get a NEV for that price let alone a high end golf cart.

I really wasn't in the dealer for a I-MiEV but I thought I would pass along what I was told. I was really trying to find out about the PHEV Outlander as I have followed it but, right now, at least for the US it's just a Unicorn. I don't think I will be disappointed with the Volt now that GM has finally decided to not make it a compliance car like the 2016. And it appears that if you aren't living in one of the CARB emission States, the new Bolt will initially be a compliance car. I really don't think much of GM and their marketing plans or their bashing of Tesla about the "dealer" model. Their recent actions and meddling in Indiana was over the top. I would rather deal with companies like Mitsubishi, Nissan and yes Tesla who market their cars to everyone in this country, not just the anointed ones that live in California or the Northeastern CARB states. I shouldn't have to wait for an extra year to get the Volt, or a Bolt (if I wanted one) or a E-Golf or any other number of EV's or PHEV's just so the manufacturer can get his emission credits to sell another Escalade or Challenger or---you get my drift.

BTW--The dealer in question is R.C. Hill Mitsubishi in Deland, Florida. He's the one I sold my last I-MiEV to and the one that bought the pile of parts that I took from the pearl white, 2012 wreck that I disassembled. R.C. said he would be glad to sell anything off that car you might need. It was rear ended, so most of the front end is still there along with interior pieces, electrical components, and the entire drivetrain. I didn't sell him the battery modules but the rest of the pack (enclosure, electronics, etc.) are there. Give them a call and play "lets make a deal" !

 

[RickeyG]

siai47, I'm in DeLand, too, bought my Mirage from RC Hill and have had a very good experience with them, so far. Sorry to hear your report, I would have gone for the iMiev last year but was concerned about coming up short on my daily 60-mile commute. So I planned on getting the i later this year for my wife, she works in town and could go all week on just one or two charges.

Last time I checked dealer inventories, only one i existed locally, at Daytona Mitsu/Kia, which I've never heard any good reports on. And the closest Focus EV's are in Melbourne. I'm guessing a local dealer could do a swap, but if the inventories are that low a good deal may be hard to come by.

On the other hand, Nissan has a $4,000 rebate on the Leaf right now, I would expect that deal to get sweeter as the 2017's start rolling out.

RickeyG

 

[JoeS]

I guess the question is about the 2016 or whatever is the current I-MiEV. Does anyone here own one? Has anyone seen one? ...

A good friend of mine in New Orleans bought a brand-new 2016 last year (shipped from Washington) after visiting us and driving one of my i-MiEVs for a week. He loves it, but is not on this forum.

 

[ManlyMiev]

I bought a 2016 three months ago. Love it. I'm in Austin Texas

 

[FrostyCanada]

We're thinking of getting a second iMiEV 2016-17 model year.

Great little car,
Brian

 

[Zelenec]

New 2016 C-Zero and Ion are still available in Europe for 19.400€ or more with many improvements regarding 2012-13 model.

 

[JoeS]

New 2016 C-Zero and Ion are still available in Europe for 19.400€ or more with many improvements regarding 2012-13 model.

Zelenec, what are some of the improvements relative to the 2012/2013 version?

In North America, other than providing CHAdeMO as standard, a light at the charging door, bringing back the optional Nav package, and now including an unadvertised better-chemistry pack, the 2016 i-MiEV is substantially unchanged from 2012.

Considering the federal and state incentives, in the US it is a bargain! Local dealer is offering a brand-new black 2016 for $18,845, and this number can be further reduced by a Federal tax credit of $7500 and a $2500 check from the state.

 

[sheinr4143]

JoeS,

Couldn't agree more with your assessment of the outstanding value represented by a new i-MiEV in today's marketplace. A dealer accepted our NADA clean retail price offer of $11, 995 for a new 2012 SE model last year resulting in a $5 net transaction profit to us after the $7,500 federal credit, a $2,500 MA state rebate, and a $2,000 trade-in offset from the dealer. Full manufacturer warranty included!

Steve

 

[jray3]

Well Steve, that's sure got the rest of us beat. Congrats, I hope you get more than $5 of enjoyment out of it (and here I was happy for over a year of positive cash flow on each iMiEV purchase)....

There is a single new 2016 remaining in Washington: a blue one sitting about 12 miles away, and an unsold black 2014 about 50 miles north. Otherwise there are two new silver cars down in Portland, OR. Then it's down to California or way back east.

I hope someone buys that 2016 soon so the dealer would finally part with his displays. I want one of those green jellybean mobiles that they hung over the showroom!

 

[Graveaxis]

I can verify the two silver cars in Portland. I was at the dealer Gladstone Mitsubishi last week getting my recall work done.

 

[beespeckled]

I still love my 2012 bought new in 2014, only irritant is that my nearest dealer is no longer a Mitsubishi dealer so I have to go 25 miles across a toll bridge to nearest dealer for any warranty work.

I have an awful feeling that Mitsubishi dealers are becoming far and fewer as time goes on, in my area unfortunately.

 

[Phximiev]

New re: new vehicles?

http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/content/dam/com/ir_jp/pdf/financial/2016/160203-3w.pdf

Unfortunately, its in Japanese (even though the InsideEV article refers to it):

http://insideevs.com/mitsubishi-to-launch-new-all-electric-and-phev-compact-suv-between-2017-2020/

 

[boothr11]

There are two new 2016 iMiEVs at Gladstone Mitsubishi near Portland, Oregon.
I just bought a used 2012 iMiEV at CarMax in Clackamas. Fun to drive so far.

 

[Benjamin Nead]

Now that Nissan has a majority controlling interest in Mitsubishi, I'm watching what the former is introducing in the way of electrics to gain some insight into what a future i-MiEV replacement might look like. The European-based Push EVs blog is a reliable source as to what's going on with i-MiEVs (and variants) in the market over there. This page, from a few weeks back, details a Nissan concept, due to be shown in October, for a lower price and smaller (than the Leaf) EV that the European market might be seeing some day . . .

http://pushevs.com/2016/07/10/nissan-micra-ev-can-make-renault-nissan-leader-again/

The size of the Micra is about right (lots of Renault Zoe drive train components, apparently) and it's easy for me to imagine one of these with a few sheet metal tweaks and triple triangle badging.

 

[rmay635703]

Maybe the leaf will be getting a better battery soon

 

[siai47]

Just an update. I have the new Volt and am happy with it so far--nice car but not quite the "grin's" I had with the I-MiEV's. Too expensive and complex to start cutting apart to see how it works. I am going to give up on the Outlander PHEV as it is delayed again. I think the Mitsubishi dealers should have a sign like they have in many Bars that says "free beer tomorrow". The Outlander is coming but it's always "tomorrow". Never got an Outlander PHEV or a free beer :lol: !