MIEV
Encyclopedia
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese automaker
Automaker
The automotive industry designs, develops, manufactures, markets, and sells motor vehicles, and is one of the world's most important economic sectors by revenue....
Mitsubishi Motors
Mitsubishi Motors
is a multinational automaker headquartered in Minato, Tokyo. In 2009 it was the fifth-largest Japan-based automaker and the 17th-largest in the world measured by production...
(MMC) to its alternative propulsion technologies.
From late 2006, “MiEV” encompasses all of Mitsubishi Motors’s electric drive systems work, including lithium-ion batteries, in-wheel motors and other technologies related to electric vehicle(EV), hybrid-electric vehicle and fuel-cell vehicles.
The Mitsubishi In-wheel motor was first introduced in the Mitsubishi Colt EV, a Colt
Mitsubishi Colt
The Mitsubishi Colt is a vehicle built by Mitsubishi Motors since 1962. It was first introduced as a series of kei cars and subcompact cars in the 1960s, and then as the export version of the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback in the 1980s and 1990s...
-based concept car
Concept car
A concept vehicle or show vehicle is a car made to showcase new styling and or new technology. They are often shown at motor shows to gauge customer reaction to new and radical designs which may or may not have a chance of being produced....
first exhibited at 2005 Tokyo Motor Show
Tokyo Motor Show
The is a biennial auto show held in October-November at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association , it is a recognized international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs...
which used a series of lithium-ion batteries to power electric motors located in the wheels. Subsequent electrically powered vehicles have included a 200 kW Lancer Evolution, and a battery-equipped Mitsubishi i
Mitsubishi i
The is a kei car from Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors, first released in January 2006, twenty eight months after its debut at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show...
kei car
Kei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
(i-MIEV).
The i-MiEV was launched for fleet customers in Japan in July 2009, and on April, 1, 2010 sales to the public began in the Japanese market at a price of 4 million yen
Japanese yen
The is the official currency of Japan. It is the third most traded currency in the foreign exchange market after the United States dollar and the euro. It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling...
(~USD43,000). After government incentives the sale price drops to 2.8 million yen (~$30,500). Sales in other countries are expected to begin in October 2010. Sales in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and the U.K. are scheduled to begin in January 2011.
History
Before developing the first MIEV concept, Mitsubishi built several electric vehicles in the 1990s as they attempted to develop alternative propulsion systems. Development began in the 1970s, and 36 Libero EVs were sold between 1993 and 1996. Their FTO EVMitsubishi FTO
The Mitsubishi FTO, is a front engined, front-wheel drive coupe produced by Mitsubishi Motors between 1994 and 2000. It was originally planned to be exclusively for the Japanese domestic market, although its popularity as a grey market import to the United Kingdom, Ireland, and New Zealand led to...
broke the record for the furthest distance achieved by an electric vehicle in 24 hours when it covered 2,142.3 km on December 19–20, 1999, and following this success they entered an Eclipse EV in the annual Shikoku EV Rally in 2001, completing over 400 km on a single charge.
Technology
MIEV motors are constructed using an in-wheel motor rotor, an in-wheel motor statorStator
The stator is the stationary part of a rotor system, found in an electric generator, electric motor and biological rotors.Depending on the configuration of a spinning electromotive device the stator may act as the field magnet, interacting with the armature to create motion, or it may act as the...
, a rotor bracket, stator bracket and inverter directly behind the brakes. The batteries can be charged from a standard 15 A/200 V car charger in seven hours and with a three-phase electric power
Three-phase electric power
Three-phase electric power is a common method of alternating-current electric power generation, transmission, and distribution. It is a type of polyphase system and is the most common method used by grids worldwide to transfer power. It is also used to power large motors and other heavy loads...
charged in 25 minutes (for up to 80 percent of full capacity). The batteries are located under the floorpan and in the Colt uses 22 Li-ion modules to produce a cumulative 325 V
Volt
The volt is the SI derived unit for electric potential, electric potential difference, and electromotive force. The volt is named in honor of the Italian physicist Alessandro Volta , who invented the voltaic pile, possibly the first chemical battery.- Definition :A single volt is defined as the...
. The design allows for an entirely electric vehicle, or a hybrid using the batteries to supplement a traditional internal combustion engine
Internal combustion engine
The internal combustion engine is an engine in which the combustion of a fuel occurs with an oxidizer in a combustion chamber. In an internal combustion engine, the expansion of the high-temperature and high -pressure gases produced by combustion apply direct force to some component of the engine...
or a hydrogen
Hydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
fuel cell
Fuel cell
A fuel cell is a device that converts the chemical energy from a fuel into electricity through a chemical reaction with oxygen or another oxidizing agent. Hydrogen is the most common fuel, but hydrocarbons such as natural gas and alcohols like methanol are sometimes used...
.
Benefits
According to Mitsubishi, locating the motor behind the wheel offers the company three distinct advantages:- It allows for a four wheel driveFour Wheel DriveThe Four Wheel Drive Auto Company, more often known as Four Wheel Drive or just FWD, was founded in 1909 in Clintonville, Wisconsin, as the Badger Four-Wheel Drive Auto Company by Otto Zachow and William Besserdich.-History:...
system without need of transmissionTransmission (mechanics)A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
, driveshaftDriveshaftA drive shaft, driveshaft, driving shaft, propeller shaft, or Cardan shaft is a mechanical component for transmitting torque and rotation, usually used to connect other components of a drive train that cannot be connected directly because of distance or the need to allow for relative movement...
s, differential gearsDifferential (mechanics)A differential is a device, usually, but not necessarily, employing gears, capable of transmitting torque and rotation through three shafts, almost always used in one of two ways: in one way, it receives one input and provides two outputs—this is found in most automobiles—and in the other way, it...
or other complex mechanical components. Mitsubishi Motors has been one of the few companies to persist in offering 4WD on vehicles other than off-road vehicleOff-road vehicleAn off-road vehicle is considered to be any type of vehicle which is capable of driving on and off paved or gravel surface. It is generally characterized by having large tires with deep, open treads, a flexible suspension, or even caterpillar tracks...
s since the technology's heyday in the 1980s. - Placing the drive system entirely in the wheels allows for greater freedom of designDesignDesign as a noun informally refers to a plan or convention for the construction of an object or a system while “to design” refers to making this plan...
for interior stylists. - The space created facilitates the storage of the batteriesBattery (electricity)An electrical battery is one or more electrochemical cells that convert stored chemical energy into electrical energy. Since the invention of the first battery in 1800 by Alessandro Volta and especially since the technically improved Daniell cell in 1836, batteries have become a common power...
, allowing for extra modules to be fitted which would offer increased power and range compared to previous electric vehicles.
Mitsubishi Colt EV (2005)
Based on the platform of a Mitsubishi ColtMitsubishi Colt
The Mitsubishi Colt is a vehicle built by Mitsubishi Motors since 1962. It was first introduced as a series of kei cars and subcompact cars in the 1960s, and then as the export version of the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback in the 1980s and 1990s...
, and first exhibited in 2005, it was the first Mitsubishi EV where mass production and public sales were mooted, with a suggested price tag of US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
19,000.
The car was driven by two in-wheel motors located in the rear wheels each producing a power of 20 kW and 600 N·m of torque without the need for a transmission. This gave the car a top speed of 150 kilometres per hour (93.2 mph) and an estimated range of 150 kilometres (93.2 mi) with a 13 kWh battery pack.
Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution MIEV (2005)
A Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX sedan fitted with four 50 kW motors, it took part in the 2005 Shikoku EV Rally. The Lancer MIEV is capable of 180 kilometres per hour (111.8 mph), and has a range of 250 kilometres (155.3 mi).Mitsubishi Concept-CT MIEV (2006)
The first MIEV prototype based on the platform and "rear midshipMR layout
In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. In contrast to the rear-engined RR layout, the center of mass of the engine is in front of the rear axle...
" layout of the Mitsubishi i
Mitsubishi i
The is a kei car from Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors, first released in January 2006, twenty eight months after its debut at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show...
kei car
Kei car
Kei cars, K-cars, or , are a Japanese category of small vehicles, including passenger cars, vans, and pickup trucks. They are designed to comply with Japanese government tax and insurance regulations, and in most rural areas are exempted from the requirement to certify that adequate parking is...
, the Concept-CT is a sport compact
Sport compact
A sport compact is a high-performance version of a compact car or a subcompact car. They are typically are front engined, front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive coupés, sedans, or hatchbacks driven by a straight-4 gasoline engine. Performance-oriented sport compacts generally focus on improving...
prototype, and was first exhibited at the 2006 North American International Auto Show
North American International Auto Show
The North American International Auto Show is an annual auto show held in Detroit, Michigan at Cobo Center, usually in January. It is among the largest auto shows in North America.-History:...
.
Mitsubishi Concept-EZ MIEV (2006)
The Concept-EZ is a compact mono-box prototype exhibited at the 2006 Geneva Motor Show, and designed to showcase the benefits of MIEV technology on the car's interior design. The wheels are located as close to the corners of the vehicle as possible, and each houses a 20 kW outer rotor in-wheel motor. With no central powertrain the floor could be kept low and flat to liberate extra interior space, despite the vehicle's modest height of 1750 millimetres (68.9 in).
Mitsubishi i MiEV (2006)
Also based on the Mitsubishi iMitsubishi i
The is a kei car from Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors, first released in January 2006, twenty eight months after its debut at the 2003 Frankfurt Motor Show...
kei car, it was first exhibited at the 22nd International Battery, Hybrid and Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle Symposium & Exposition in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
. This vehicle was the first where the "i" in MiEV stood for "innovative", as it eschews the in-wheel motors in favour of a more conventional array of batteries, motor and inverter
Inverter (electrical)
An inverter is an electrical device that converts direct current to alternating current ; the converted AC can be at any required voltage and frequency with the use of appropriate transformers, switching, and control circuits....
to replace the "rear midship
MR layout
In automotive design, a RMR or Rear Mid-engine, Rear-wheel drive layout is one in which the rear wheels are driven by an engine placed just in front of them, behind the passenger compartment. In contrast to the rear-engined RR layout, the center of mass of the engine is in front of the rear axle...
" engine and fuel tank of the conventional car.
Development of the i MiEV EV concept began in 2005.
MMC provided three power companies with vehicles in 2006 and 2007 in order to conduct joint research to evaluate how fast-charge infrastructure may be developed for EVs. Fleet testing by five power companies was conducted in 2007. The car has a range of 130 kilometre for the 16 kW·h lithium-ion pack and 160 kilometre for the 20 kW·h pack. Top speed is 130 kilometre per hour. Also known as the i-EV, it is planned for sale or lease in Japan and other markets in 2009 and 2010
It may also be sold in European markets as the Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-ZERO
Citroën C-ZERO
The Citroën C-Zero is a electric supermini/city car produced by Citroën. It was developed in collaboration with Mitsubishi Motors Corporation. Its sister will be marketed by Peugeot as the Peugeot iOn...
. (in the European Union in 2010-08-01).
Mitsubishi i MiEV Sport (2007)
The third concept i Miev based on the platform of the Mitsubishi i, and exhibited at the 40th Tokyo Motor ShowTokyo Motor Show
The is a biennial auto show held in October-November at the Makuhari Messe, Chiba City, Japan for cars, motorcycles and commercial vehicles. Hosted by the Japan Automobile Manufacturers Association , it is a recognized international show by the Organisation Internationale des Constructeurs...
in late 2007. In-wheel motors made a return in the front wheels, while a single motor powers the rears. Designed to showcase the sporting potential of zero-emissions vehicle
Zero-emissions vehicle
A zero-emissions vehicle, or ZEV, is a vehicle that emits no tailpipe pollutants from the onboard source of power. Harmful pollutants to the health and the environment include particulates , hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, ozone, lead, and various oxides of nitrogen. Although not considered emission...
s, the i's space efficient exterior design was heavily modified into a more aerodynamic 2+2 fastback
Fastback
A fastback is a car body style whose roofline slopes continuously down at the back. The word can also designate the car itself. The style is seen on two-door coupés as well as four-door sedans.-History:...
silhouette
Silhouette
A silhouette is the image of a person, an object or scene consisting of the outline and a basically featureless interior, with the silhouetted object usually being black. Although the art form has been popular since the mid-18th century, the term “silhouette” was seldom used until the early decades...
. The company's Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC)
Mitsubishi S-AWC
S-AWC is the brand name of an advanced full-time four-wheel drive system developed by Mitsubishi Motors. The technology, specifically developed for the new 2007 Lancer Evolution, is an advanced version of Mitsubishi's AWC system. Mitsubishi first exhibited S-AWC integration control technology in...
system developed for the new Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X was also utilized.
Production version of Mitsubishi i MiEV (2009)
The production version of the MiEV does not have in-wheel motors like the many MIEV concepts shown before. Instead it has a single permanent magnet synchronous motor mounted on the rear axleAxle
An axle is a central shaft for a rotating wheel or gear. On wheeled vehicles, the axle may be fixed to the wheels, rotating with them, or fixed to its surroundings, with the wheels rotating around the axle. In the former case, bearings or bushings are provided at the mounting points where the axle...
with a power output of 47 kW and torque output 180 N·m
Newton metre
A newton metre is a unit of torque in the SI system. The symbolic form is N m or N·m, and sometimes hyphenated newton-metre...
. Due to the motor specification with low torque and hence for direct-drive high RPM to give the stated power, Mitsubishi also had to put a transmission
Transmission (mechanics)
A machine consists of a power source and a power transmission system, which provides controlled application of the power. Merriam-Webster defines transmission as: an assembly of parts including the speed-changing gears and the propeller shaft by which the power is transmitted from an engine to a...
between the motor and wheels. The car has a stated range of 160 kilometre for the Japan 10-15 mode drive cycle with a 16 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. However the Hungarian online car magazine, Autó Pult has recorded 220 km on a single charge. The car's top speed is limited to 130 kilometre per hour.
During early 2009 the i MiEV was exhibited in Australia at the Melbourne Motor Show, following which it extensively toured Australia.
During January - March 2009 the i MiEV was brought to New Zealand as part of an electric vehicle trial, which saw the i MiEV travel the length of the country testing infrastructure and demonstrating the vehicle to the public.
On 21 September 2009, the Hong Kong Government announced it will procure the first batch of 10 Mitsubishi electric vehicles - the iMiEV - later in 2009, after various government departments have tested the vehicle in the last 6 months. Hong Kong is the first market in Asia, other than Japan, where iMiEVs will be sold before April 2010.
On January 14th 2009, In Canada, Hydro-Québec and Mitsubishi signed an agreement to test 50 i-MiEV, the largest pilot test of electric car in Canada, this test will also allow a better understanding of a winter usage of the technology. BC-Hydro and Mistsubishi had previously tested a 3 vehicle fleet in British Columbia.
In March 2010, it was reported that Mitsubishi i-MiEV will be available in the United Kingdom from January 2011, with a price starting at GBP38,699 (including 17.5% VAT) before deducting incentive of GBP5,000 from the government, to become one of the first battery cars on the market.
In May 2010,Ireland’s first ecar trial-project will be conducted by Trinity College Dublin’s School of Engineering on behalf of ESB was also announced.
The car will be tested in consumer situations the U.S. State of Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
.
In October 2010 The Government of Canada and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada Inc. (MMSCAN) announced a partnership to test the Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Innovative Electric Vehicle) in Canada. Transport Canada’s ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles (eTV) program will test two i-MiEVs in government facilities, as well as in a variety of real-world conditions, to evaluate the vehicle’s road handling, performance and range. Test results will also help to assess the potential environmental benefits of electric vehicle technologies in Canada.
Mar 4, 2011 - The new generation electric vehicle i-MiEV has been adopted as an electric vehicle to be provided to the Estonian Government from Mitsubishi Corporation. This scale of i-MiEV provision, 507 units has been the largest inquiry MMC has ever received since its sales started. It also marks the first case of provision of electric vehicles under the Green Investment Scheme (GIS).
External links
- "Introducing the i MiEV", i MiEV Official UK Site
- "i MiEV - Unlock the Future", i MiEV NZ Trial Official Site
- "What is 'i MiEV'?", Mitsubishi Motors website
- "i MiEV in Australia", Mitsubishi Motors AUS iMiEV Microsite
- The Battery Pack for Mitsubishi’s i MiEV, Green Car Congress
- "Could Mitsubishi's iMiev EV Make It Stateside This Decade? New York Auto Show Test Drive", Popular Mechanics