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Leading automaker Mitsubishi Motors Corp is all set to debut world’s first mass-produced zero-emission minicar called 'i-MiEV' in Japan. The minicar that does not require petroleum fuel will hit the Japanese market in July. Reports said that 'i-MiEV' is unique in itself as it has no engine or muffler. The new innovative minicar runs on a motor charged with electricity. The company is expecting to sell 1400 units of i-MiEV in fiscal 2009.
Initially, the vehicle will be sold to corporate and government customers until April 2010. After that, it will be made available to general public. Mitsubishi’s sales target for i-MiEV in fiscal 2011 is 15,000 units. The green car is expected to carry a price tag of 4.6 million yen. The innovative car is capable of traveling 160 kilometers on its lithium-ion battery pack. In order to charge the battery fully it will take 14 hours. For charging the battery, a 100-volt household power outlet is also needed.
The innovative car is extremely environment friendly, as it emits no carbon dioxide (CO2). According to reports, the new vehicle may usher in a new age of driving. The four-seater is expected to curb the increasing menace of global warming by reducing the level of CO2 in the atmosphere. The buyers can acquire the car at a cheap rate by qualifying for a government subsidy for green-car owners. The i-MiEV’s per-kilometer cost of electricity is only 3 yen, which is considerably less than the price of gas for the same distance.
