MIEV

MIEV (Mitsubishi In-wheel motor Electric Vehicle) or MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) /ˈmiːv/ is the name given by Japanese automaker Mitsubishi Motors (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-based concept car first exhibited at 2005 Tokyo Motor Show 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 kei car (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
(~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 and the U.K. are scheduled to begin in January 2011.

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 EV 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.

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Wikipedia