2012 Mitsubishi I-MiEV Review - The First MASS PRODUCED Electric Car!

[@youtoob575]

i think i should chime in since i own one. bought it brand new in 2013. i was originally looking to get the lancer but the dealer was desperate to sell it since no one wanted these. i got it for almost 50% off msrp and mine doesn’t have the navigation. the sound system was actually impressive in this thing. like zack said, they made this from 2012 to 2017 but 90% were 2012s and i’ve only ever seen one 2016 so the later years are few and far between. it’s a great second car if you live in a warmer climate and just want to run to the store to get groceries, go get something to eat or pickup the kids from school but i wouldn’t use it for anything else. perfect first car for a high schooler if you just want them to goto school and come back home. they won’t be able to get too far in this thing 😂 i was going to email zack to let him review it but my miev has been at mitsubishi getting the battery replaced to the upgraded model. as for the 6 dots found around the car. it was just the branding mitsubishi was trying to establish. like how you associate a hexagon with lamborghini or circles with audi. the 1st gen audi TT had a similar theme in the car. and yes the plastic piece in the backseat is government mandated for cars that don’t qualify as a 5 seater. it’s a shame they didn’t just put a cup holder insert instead like every other manufacturer does. i averaged about 58 miles on a full charge. zack didn’t mention it but the car does have a usb port, a 12v port and heated front seats but they were optional. the quick charge port was also optional. the leaf only has about 20 more miles of range and they go for double to triple the price of these. so i’d recommend it!

[@annavariumful]

They were first introduced in Japan in 2009

[@markuspaulmathis214]

There was an upgraded Model 2018 produced until 2020, with recuperation paddles behind the steering wheel, and other improvements, sold only in few countries in Europe as Norway, Switzerland, Slovenia etc. until 2020. I'going to buy one...

[@sybsygstgstsgysg5330]

honestly wouldn’t wanna pick my kid up in one of these, seems like an easy way to get them bullied

[@evdanielsson7]

@@sybsygstgstsgysg5330I was thinking the same thing. 😂 but, the kind of person who would own one of these eggs, probably wouldn’t even think of that. not knocking OP, I do appreciate the weird and quirky cars. but I wouldn’t have wanted to get picked up in something this goofy as a kid.

[@BarryCallaway-h7j]

The turbocharged gasoline version came out in 2005. The navigation is a CD and DVD movie player

[@oliverstemp9132]

I love looking back at things like the I MiEV, it shows how far we’ve come in such a short time.

[@toyotaprius79]

Ironically it's the kind of car that's needed now. Minimal use of resources capable for the daily job.

[@toyotaprius79]

Maybe how far "we've" come is the wasteful arms race of ever heavier and luxury laden cars to remain "competitive"

[@angelsfallfirst7348]

@@toyotaprius79 Yeah, what would really be great is something with a body that's simple and midsized, like a 2000's Lancer or Civic, but with ≈ 200 mi of range and RWD. Just bare bones and simple, but affordable and electric. Sadly it's never going to happen. The rich will become richer and the poor will continue to become poorer until cars are a luxury for the very wealthy.

[@RageousMode]

Would've liked to see how the windshield wiper pattern worked. The right wiper looks to have an interesting trajectory.

[@Geldnir]

it oddly enough covers the windshield almost like a normal car, they had to shove a second wiper in for us regulations I believe

[@aidan1585]

@@Geldnir well it has two wipers on the EU spec model..

[@ziggarillo]

​@@aidan1585 My EU version only has one wiper (2012)

[@toyotaprius79]

Mitsubishi was in part too early in the game, cause this car is the kind of car people would want now. But battery and drivetrain advancements today would make this car go 100-150 miles at a lower cost of construction. It is however a conversion of a 2005 ladder chassis frame Keir car.

[@smileyguyz]

Seeing the Plex Towers in the background at 10:00 really brought back some childhood memories when I lived in Tulsa. I think I even remembered occasionally seeing these around and finding them so strange looking.

[@maxeluy]

Im curious to see those windshield wipers in action.

[@geecars6263]

Oh, and in Europe they were also sold as a Peugeot and a Citroen

[@mhirst16]

These are definitely neat and quirky cars...I wonder if it's possible to install a beefier battery pack and double the range? I kinda feel like that's the future of electric cars....the way to keep electric cars on the road is going to be installing a better battery pack every 10 years when the technology gets better.

[@toyotaprius79]

Absolutely. back in 2015 when the iMiEV was still on sale, so too was the Smart ForTwos ED which had a slightly bigger capacity in half the size. There are smaller cars (in China) with +24kWh . In Europe there's the VW e-UP and Skoda SEAT copies that can fit 36kWh in such a small package

[@BarryCallaway-h7j]

Guy in Australia I think has a approximately 120 mile battery pack kit with one pedal driving and cruise control. No USA dealer that I know of

[@yvs6663]

well if someone lives in a house, has more than one car in the family and doesn't drive more than 30 miles in an average day, a used one of this isn't such a bad thing. it also doesn't cost that much more than any other reasonably reliable used car. i mean if it has chademo it wouldn't be so hard to imagine taking it for a 150 mile trip(about 2 charging stops of 20min), charging it while its there and heading back. thats more road trips than my previous car has did in its life. (what can i say, i am from a small country and my vacation was usually a fairly local festival)

[@davinp]

The cold is a problem for electric cars. They get a lower range and take longer to charge in cold weather. So if you live a cold climate, then a electric car would not be good

[@ronaldderooij1774]

Hmm you are right, but it does not hinder the Norwegians.

[@edgaryzen4925]

Hybrid vehicle is also an no-no in terms of winter MPG

[@toninocars]

Yes hybrids are not as efficient in cold weather., driven with winter or all season tyres., in rain, wind and loaded.

[@sybsygstgstsgysg5330]

@@edgaryzen4925 hybrids don’t completely rely on batteries, so it really doesn’t matter

[@edgaryzen4925]

@@sybsygstgstsgysg5330 for a “moment” that is.

[@justingistpreuninger3447]

The weird plastic in the back seats is only in the north American version, which is wider than everywhere else. My UK spec does not have this. :)

[@kippaseo8027]

We bought one several years ago with only 13K miles on it and paid $2300 with tax. It was purchased By the HOA of the subdivision I live in here in Miami Beach🌴. It's been a good little run about In the community but absolutely does feel like a fancy golf cart and in fact it looks funny parked on the maintenance lined up with all the actual golf carts. Again it's fine for what it gets used for but this would definitely not make a good car in almost any other than maybe if you lived in a congested city. We don't have very many potholes Here in Miami and the roads are lots smoother than in many other places around the country but still if you get this thing over 35MPH The combination of Tiny wheels, Stiff suspension, And no weight over the front axle causes causes the car front end to hop and bounce which doesn't lead to lead to a lot of confidence. This is definitely one of those cars that you could tell was not designed For the US market. I will say that it has been very reliable With Very little issues over the past 4 years outside of some cheap interior plastics failing. A nightmare to work on and no one other than the mito bishi dealer we'll deal with it and even they send it off somfor repairs.

[@sybsygstgstsgysg5330]

it’s a small step above a changli

[@tedwalker1370]

You can stop some of the bouncing on the front by running less air in the front tires.

[@samthomas1457]

I bought one of these (Peugeot Ion) about 5 months ago for £4.5k, there usually about £6k. Need to unlock the eco drive mode as it Isn't enabled on the Ion and need to add some corrosion prevention underneath.

[@spongeblyat]

On the verge of 100k! Congrats Zack you've earned it!

[@freduah4253]

Just a quick tip for anyone If you own an i-MiEV, you might be missing out on something awesome. Check under the back seat-there's a hidden compressor and a kit to fix a flat tire! I found mine almost a year after I bought my car. 😅 My i-MiEV is 8 years old now, and it’s been perfect for city living. My daily commutes are never more than 40 miles and if I really need more distance I can charge quickly at a fast charger when I need for me it’s just the right fit. I also do some Uber deliveries here and there. Sure, the range is short, but it’s enough to cover my monthly insurance and groceries. I absolutely love this little car!

[@BarryCallaway-h7j]

Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle version of the i they also made a minicab van and truck miev but not sold in usa.

[@geecars6263]

The police here in Scotland had them, all liveried up…no idea why 😂

[@Prodigious1One]

This was my first car. I miss it. I have a Leaf now.

[@johnfitbyfaithnet]

Which is better?

[@no.namewho]

there should be a extra little keyfob thing with an antenna that comes out of it

[@habeebmirza2723]

Got a 2012 SE premium with heated seat, back up camera, DC charging port and have put over 111k miles on it. Kids hated it getting dropped off/picked up. After they got their driving license, guess what? This is their car of choice. BTW got upgraded battery just shy of 100k.

[@t8polestarcyan22]

This car is still enough for short drives, 50km or less daily. My daily drive to work is 30kms.

[@jason41a]

the use of windsheild wipers would probably reduce the range by 20% lol

[@standroid2406]

OMG, I want one! it has a 16kWH battery with both L2/L1 AC charging AND a ChaDeMo DC fast charge port! with such a tiny battery, you could probably re-charge the battery to full in the time it takes to get your mis-named grande latte at starbucks! but seriously, the average daily commute is something like 27-32 miles/day. this car would easily handle that for you and one passenger. and with AC slow-charge, if you can plug in to a wall outlet at your work, it'd cost next to nothing to charge for 8 hrs to "top off the tank". completely wrong for camping or a cross-country road trip but that's not the use case for this vehicle. if you can do most of your weekly driving needs all-electric, this would be a great little car. I just took a look and used prices on these aren't ridiculous, assuming you can find one.

[@nicksutton2964]

I have one, and I use it exactly as you say. I love it. It is highly maneuverable in traffic and far superior to the petrol version in this regard. Because the car is small and relatively light it is fun to drive. I occasionally fast charge it but try to keep to AC charging at home. It has taken until this year for Mitsubishi to come out with a successor (and it is a re-badged Nissan!) but I feel no compulsion to switch. I can still get 150km out of mine but realistically I can comfortably do 130 to 140km. The battery pack is not new but is not deteriorating anywhere near as fast as I was led to believe. Mine has one giant windscreen wiper btw.

[@toyotaprius79]

It's almost as if the i-MiEV is the kind of car people need today 🤔💭

[@anthonybha4510]

Selling mine after this winter

[@BarryCallaway-h7j]

Cross country maybe not but camping YES. We took ours to fishing lake used 14-50 plug level two on RV pad and watched a DVD movie on dash. Charged up ready for trip home.

[@ModelA]

Nice one Zack! If I remember correctly, it is pronounced like "my e.v.". When Mitsubishi was trying to be cute. I guess their target demographic was teenage girls who still carry their schoolbooks in a Hello Kitty backpack. For a mere $10,000, you can replace the battery in that $3,500 car and get more range.

[@VitaliyKofman]

That plastic piece on the back seat to prevent 3rd person sitting 😀

[@bwofficial1776]

This is a Japanese kei car. The Japanese tend to be pretty small and Americans tend not to be. They didn't want us to try cramming three people across back there.

[@dadtype2339]

Greetings! I just found your channel, I watched T-Tops, and boy that brought me back to my Brother's Stingray Corvette, lol. So, here I am, I've subscribed and thumbs up, hope your channel grows my friend!

[@davedavidson9996]

Is there a better battery available today? Could you add a second battery? I saw one of these for sale for 3000

[@blvcksxcial993]

Just witnessed you hit 100k

[@BruceTheSillyGoose]

i would have liked to hear more of the driving experience, such as NVH/ride quality over rough pavement.

[@AndrewSheldon]

Thanks for video. Do those rear seats and front passenger fold flat? I assume using home plug only? 8hrs.

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

Does it have a spare tire?

[@astonair]

I love the not a cup holder, its kinda like not a flamethrower - ya just know somethings off, but it's all good 😂😂

[@johnfitbyfaithnet]

Battery cooling?

[@LifeAfterLosing]

So cute. If they had a range of even 100 miles, it would have sold a lot more. I could drive something like that everyday with my short commute, but would still like 100 miles of range just for heating the car in the winter, I know it would suck up the range and like to have a cushion.

[@sybsygstgstsgysg5330]

Not in america, Americans don’t like those types of cars, one of the reasons the Honda e isn’t sold in the states other than the illegal camera mirrors.

[@angelsfallfirst7348]

@@sybsygstgstsgysg5330 As an American, I hate the American market so much

[@hoomanAdnan]

Looks like a bigger Tata nano 🙌🏼 but quality 100 times better 🔥❤️

[@bwofficial1776]

Given that Mitsubishi isn't known for quality any more, that says a lot about the Nano.

[@sybsygstgstsgysg5330]

The tata must have some really crappy build quality

[@XanMan_05]

7:36 You say you might go to the corner store with some friends. You forgot that if you drove a car like this, you wouldn’t have any friends to take to the store with you. As well, once it’s weighed down with people the lack of power will struggle to get you to the speed limit.

[@dhillaz]

If you really did want to go on a road trip in this thing, for other markets they also made a 660cc gas version called the Mitsubishi i

[@bwofficial1776]

The right side hood release was because this was a JDM kei car Mitsubishi electrified and brought over. Electric cars have come a long way since 2012. This is basically a golf cart compared to what we have now. 2012 was the year the Tesla Model S came out and showed that EVs don't need to be weird eggs.

[@brayden9060]

I would love one of these but that range is concerning to me. Could I do it? Yeah. Probably. Would I have range anxiety? Every time I drive.

[@anthonybha4510]

I've owned a 2000 Ford Ranger EV NIMH and now have a 2016 Imiev and 2018 Tesla 3. Most people only need the Imiev, but they WANT the Tesla. A change must be better than what's currently out there. The Tesla is. The others were not.

[@JohnDoe12515]

Was looking at those when government was giving incentives to buy them brand new. I passed and bought an old Toyota Echo lol

[@GEAUXFRUGAL]

How fast does it go.

[@wilsonofcanada]

While the official max speed is 130 km/h (81 mph), the highest speed I got was 110 km/h

[@forza4l833]

I have a question about the gauge cluster, Look at the far left (4:00) and you will see a gas gauge, what is that about

[@ShootingCars]

That is battery charge. It's hard to see, but the "gas pump" icon has a plug on it instead of a pump handle

[@annavariumful]

It was based on the petrol version Mitsubishi i. Perhaps just a "hold over" :)

[@forza4l833]

@@ShootingCars OOOOHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH now i see it lmaooo, now i see why you say this car is very quirky

[@VaughnJogVlog]

It’s twenty twenty-two, not 2000 22.

[@benjaminnead8557]

Thanks for you're thoughtful appreciation video of the venerable i-MiEV. I got to tell the story of my experiences with the car at length here . . . kzbin.info/www/bejne/eWmpZ2Cifd1_Z5I Basically, I got mine used and cheap back in 2015. The battery started to fade in 2020 and I had no problems getting a warranty replacement. Virtually nothing else has gone wrong with mine. It's been an amazingly reliable low-cost-to-own car. When I cycle the battery from near empty to full, I get readings on the guess-o-meter in excess of 80 miles. Real world range with my relaxed in-city driving style yields me around 70 miles per charge. You're never going to win a drag race with an i-MiEV, but it does get off the line and up to the 35 mph range much quicker than just about any gas burner subcompact that I can think of.

[@johnfitbyfaithnet]

Does it have battery cooling?

[@t8polestarcyan22]

You can check out an all new EK X EV.

[@bradleymeyer9775]

I think two front wipers are unnecessary.

[@markuspaulmathis214]

left steered model in Europe has single arm wiper. Here the clones Peugeot Ion and Citroën C-zero were sold until 2020, and can still be seen often on the streets.

[@zaremol2779]

This car looks familiar, looks like a Tata Nano

[@phillyspitta8147]

This was basically a mirage ev same specs and interior ete prob same 0 to 60 too

[@briankuhn7396]

So I could make it to work and back. Free charging at work… 🤔

[@Leuann_Calix017]

Is there a manual transmission electric car 😂

[@tall_dude1233]

No. Closest thing would be a manual transmission Insight

[@pHD77]

The name "MiEV" is meant to be pronounced "My EV"

[@ziggarillo]

I mee E V ,and of course its just a Mitsubishi I car with an electric drive train. So the look is not unique.

[@cmctravels]

Looks like Tata Nano.

[@pixelbat]

First mass produced EV??? Uhhh... General Motors EV1 in the 90s??? Yes it was a failure, yes it was not popular, but it was mass produced and built just like modern cars, not some 1 off hand crafted car. Or if you really want to get technical the Electric Vehicle Company had hundreds of electric Hansom cabs running in the early 1900s in Boston, Baltimore, and NYC. Also Detroit Electric built over 35000 electric vehicles that had an 80 mile range by 1939. In between then and now there have been many small mass produced electric cars here and there. This is not the first mass produced electric car, not by a long shot. Seems like your EV history only goes back about 10 years :D

[@walenikhil4311]

This is just a stretched out version of Tata Nano.

[@Liefpj]

haha I had one of these to deliver food. Awesome car for urban city. I had a skinny thermos for the middle holder and had a soda can in the vent cup holder which set me up for a good shift. 8hrs...240v? It took more like 15-21 hrs to charge on 110v. My avg 4hr shift was 40 miles and I would often supercharge during my lunch break, then do another 4hr shift. My wife drives 19 miles every day. So yeah it would be good for her. Winter tires were a must as it is so light and all season's offer very little traction in snow. Great review down memory lane. That sucks that most Americans cannot ebike a 2-4 mile commute due to lack of safe road design. But it will come around.

[@baronvonjo1929]

Even if they did make safe roads it wouldn't make sense to bike 10 miles to work in thr 100 degree humid summer or freezing winters. And in my case you can add hills to that. I would say on average the distances are at least over 5 miles from job to work. Most are much more. E bikes just make no sense.

[@Liefpj]

@@baronvonjo1929 Yeh 10 miles is a bit much. I just said 2-4 because the guy is saying to still drive that amount, when you could easily ebike it. Ebikes are perfect for extreme temps. That is why i bought one. You don't get sweaty and do not have to breath in heavy cold air. In summer its breezy when your going 15-20mph. I have a set of studded tires and it has a throttle that gets me out of snow. Similar to a dirt bike in mud. Mine is decent quality and cost me around $1.5k usd. Knock on wood if it is not stolen in the next 5 mths, it will have paid itself off. They make hills feel like your on flat land. If you have a heavy head wind, its a non issue. A bum knee, now less of an issue. Ebikes are a game changer.

[@baronvonjo1929]

@@Liefpj You actually make a compelling argument. I was against it. You changed my mind

[@bhuvaneshbhuvi7027]

It almost looks the same as a tata nano

[@nmpawel80]

i think the leaf was the 1st mass produced ev?

[@annavariumful]

The i-MiEV was first introduced in Japan in 2009

[@pHD77]

I believe the Leaf was the first EV, using Li-ion batt., built in the size of a regular mid-sized car. Still had a somewhat limited range, though.

[@KayakTN]

I replaced an older Camry with a slightly-newer hybrid model. The new battery has mostly paid for itself, but 90% of my driving over the last decade has been within five miles of my home. I kinda wish I had purchased a Leaf instead. I have other vehicles for longer trips, but the Toyota is my daily commuter.

[@sybsygstgstsgysg5330]

don’t buy a leaf, buy something like this, depending on the roads you could get a changli

[@anthonybha4510]

Hybrids are Frankenstein trash Enjoy your next oil change

[@sybsygstgstsgysg5330]

@@anthonybha4510 what did Frankenstein do to you

[@lily-annepayment3200]

my parents have the same car as you ☠same color,same type of car.

[@CatholicBoy1957]

It looks like a Tata Nano. .

[@DetroitYugo]

Before I purchased my Golf TDI, I considered the i-MiEV. The range is what killed it for me.

[@toyotaprius79]

At the time, if range was a deal breaker it only made practical sense if it complemented the other car, or if there was a CHAdeMO rapid charger near by to you

[@DS-wo8wr]

The only car to depreciate in ‘21-‘22.

[@jaylonworld]

Can u do review on 1993 Mazda mpv if u can find please and thank

[@END30000]

😂 8 hours to charge on electricity.......gdammm plus expensive ......hmm or 2 minutes to fill up on gass with more extended miles

[@mititeimaricei]

Cart...

[@Michele.t]

Try the Volkswagen Golf, I think that is the standard car as a definition

[@toyotaprius79]

The reason why cars have gotten heavier and more expensive, to compete with said golf.

[@baronvonjo1929]

Definitely not the standard. That would be the Corolla. That's the bench mark people chase after. Sales over a million units year after year. The Golf ain't doing that. Its really only popular in Europe as far as I know

[@Michele.t]

@@baronvonjo1929 ohh, that's why. I'm from Italy (Europe) and I constantly see them. they are perfect for going around with friends, don't need too much gasoline, and have power. Compact and easy to park, here is almost a standard, but I can see why the corolla has more sales

[@baronvonjo1929]

@MICHELE Yeah, pretty much every market is different. As far as I know most brands have to change up everything to make it work in each market. What hold VW back is probably the multiple brands and I think they make different models for each market. To a extent. Toyota has been able to make most of their cars work for poorer areas of the world and richer areas. That's why the Corolla sales so high. Also maybe if they made a sedan variant of the Golf under the same name, they would technically sale as much as the Corolla and Civic.

[@bazilwreckerloughead]

I've driven one of those; wasn't very impressed.

[@damilolaakanni]

I thought rhe first mass produced EV was the Nissan Leaf in 2011.

[@benjaminnead8557]

The i-MiEV was out there before the Leaf in Japan and Europe, but just by a matter of months. Here in the US the Leaf arrived first, but the i-MiEV was quick to follow on. Nissan had/has a more developed dealer network in North America and much more money for marketing. The slightly larger size of the Leaf also sat better with most US buyers.

[@wmalden]

Electric cars do not have “engines”.

[@Nebbia_affaraccimiei]

I thought the Tesla Roadster was the first mass produced lol

[@CollinMac96]

Actually the title goes to the 1996 GM ev1 just based on a quick search. Granted they only made 1000 so it’s debatable if that’s considered mass produced

[@ShootingCars]

@@CollinMac96 The title is a little muddy. The EV1 only had just over 1,000 units, was lease only, and only offered in the South West of the US. The Tesla roadster was just over 2,000 made, but was really expensive and still built at a small scale.

[@CollinMac96]

@@ShootingCarsstill crazy how Mitsu produced so many of these things. Definitely more popular in Asia

[@markuspaulmathis214]

no, from 1912 to 1930 there was an electric car built in USA!

[@CollinMac96]

@@markuspaulmathis214*mass produced* is the key word.

[@GabrielBoboc-qh6wv]

5

[@dave11686]

Interesting