MAR 14

They are so ahead of American and European cars!
...We'll soon have only Japanese cars! Love them so good luck to them!

That particular image is not the version that Mitsubishi are referring to, but is a variant from it. The actual one is still nice but much boxier and practical.

There is (at last) quite a race on now, to be the first bigname maker with EVs on sale in the showrooms (and they do need to sell to justify expensively rented showroom space). I thought Subaru might get there first with their R1e, but Nissan and Renault might beat them to it. Even BMW has now said they will decide soon whether to build an EV themselves or in partnership. The future is electric, and its coming closer!

Incidentally, in the field of commercial vehicles, EVs are already in production and on the road in their hundreds - particularly thanks to two companies - Modec ( http://www.modec.co.uk ) and Smith EV ( http://www.smithelectricvehicles.com )

Smith are about to build a new factory in the US so they can ramp up production to 10,000 all-electric 12-ton trucks a year. They are already started assembling 1000 this year at a factory owned by a sister company in Fresno, California

The idiocies of the belief that thee is a "city-car"
market in the US. Who's going to put out that kind of dough for a car that is totally niche and can only exist as a second car. Certainly not city dwellers. At least not US city dwellers. Where will those city dwellers pluf in? City people live in condos and
row houses - hey, people, those places don't have garages or carports.

So they plug in at the shopping mall - like they can now at Bristol, UK and in parts of London. Taking onboard partial charges sufficient to stay topped up. Likewise some carparks are starting to provide recharge facilities so that cars can get charged while owners are at their desks.

It's a chicken-and-egg situation. Enough cars are need to justify providing the recharge facilities, which won't get provided until demand is sufficient. Except in those cities who are subsidising the installation costs to get things moving.

I agree there are hurdles. But they will be surmounted. When did America's can-do attitude become an it-can't-work attitude?

It's the iCar, availiable now in a gasoline version (60-65 mpg) in Japan and Europe, with the electric version coming in 2010.
http://blogs.cars.com/photos/u...ishii.jpg

To Kent Beuchert: Have you ever visited San Francisco? Vancouver? Montreal? Yes, these city dwellers who live in condos and row houses. Some have garages. Others will get their condos to install plug ins.

Seperate from this, if you had a 2 car household, and your 2nd commuting car can run on

For the typical American driver, most do not drive over 50 miles per day -- so, a range of 100 miles per charge is more than adequate. Anyone who commutes longer can simply stay with the gas-guzzlers.

For example, I live in a suburb of Indianapolis (where there is no mass transit) and about a 20-mile/40-minute commute to my job. Even with running local errands (groceries, kids @ school, etc.), my daily total mileage is never more than 50-60 miles. So, unless we're going out of town for the weekend or on vacation, a daily range of 100 miles would be more than enough to make an electric car our primary vehicle. For a family vacation, Thrify has a 7-passenger van for $55/day!

This seemingly hard-headed thought that everyone needs (wants) to be able to drive 200-300 miles on a "tank" (charge) is short-sighted and impractical.

Range and top speed are perfect. I only wish it seated 4.

The concept is great on these eco vehicles, however people with large families will never be able to travel if these are our only option. I have 4 children and would never fit them into such a small car.

There's no reason to think that there won't be larger models in the future.

It's likely that research showed that this is the most likely selling version for the first EVs.

Folks are going to look at them and think they'll do for those solitary trips to the office/BART station. They'll plan on keeping their larger car for times when they need to go further, carry more.

As market acceptance grows expect more variety.

It would be nice if there would be a larger model.

"..It would be nice if there would be a larger model.."

There will be, there will be. There are projects such as the Th!nk Ox 5-seater - see http://www.petrol-head.com/200...nk-ox.html - not into production yet but clearly being touted as feasible. The Smart Two-two looks likely have a bigger brother too (basically a stretched version). The Smith Edison (based on a European Ford Transit body - see link above) is currently produced and marketed as a delivery van but is also being trialled as an a mini-bus (8 seats in short wheelbase version, 12 seats in lwb).

The various first-generation electric cars do look like they will all be small ones. The first commercial EVs are mostly bigger than family cars at 3.5ton to 12 ton (apart from the little 3-wheel ZAP models) - so it's just the in-between sizes we are waiting for. Like the Ox, or like the 4-door 5-seat XS 500 sedan that MilesEV.com are bringing to market this year or next.

It's gonna happen

I would save $3500 a year with a 75mile range EV JUST USING IT FOR WORK!! My commute is 54 miles EACH way so I need a 75mile range to be safe (I can charge at work NO problem) this car would be good enough for 95 % of my yearly driving. If its under 20k I WANT IT.

I hope in the future it will be so, that all those that see a Car as only a transportation will drive something alternative and those who are totally Crazy about cars still can have there Mustangs, Covette and so on, we still also have to remember CO2 pollutions is NO issue, Cars only make 5-7% of CO2 in the world.

Hold your horses everyone. Let's not forget about Phoenix Motorcars: http://www.phoenixmotorcars.com, located in Ontario, California. They have two models ready for use even as we speak.

As for using an electric car for further than the city, it can be done. It just takes a bit of planning, working, and getting the word out to businesses to turn our highways into electric highways. Planning trips out 90 miles at a time is easy, especially since some electric cars can charge off-board in as little as ten minutes. All it takes is finding a campground or gas station with an outlet. Eventually, such places will put outlets up and charge for charging up your car. Or finding eco-places around the country that will let you for free.

Another site you should check out is Coolfuels Roadtrip: http://www.coolfuelroadtrip.com/, a TV show that usually airs on syndication, showcasing electric and other types of fuel.

The first change in making things better is equipment, yes. The second change needed, though, is attitude. If youi want it to work, you can't expect it to work according to how you existed with gas-powered cars. You yourself have to live according to the way electric cars are now.

The SUV looks like one of those pointless status symbol SUVs that most people just don't need. (how many people take their chelsea tractor off-road, seriously?)

And 2500kg???? You could double the range by halving the weight and still have a roomy car that passes european crash tests with top marks.

And it looks like a bad SsangYong copy ;-)

Thank's God there are still people who really care , I hope i-miev success in word wide

for now please make sure Mitsubishi will go on whit their plans, we'll waiting your electric cars

Hey Hank Green,

Heres some planet saving power right here. While all of the automobile manufacturers are scavaging around for newer automotive power,Galaxy Energy has been scavaging around for away to keep them running. We found that power in a solid state generator that does not need recharging, because it recharges it's self. It can deliver all of the power needed to run an electric car. That's it's, transportation problem solved! These generators can be bought from us at a small price. How about posting this to help save the planet. For more information e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it '> This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Thanks
Hank Green