0 - 80 in 30 Minutes. Mitsubishi Motors UK - The first in Europe to fast charge the i-MIEV

December 18, 2009 (PRLEAP.COM) Business News
Mitsubishi Motors UK is the first company in Europe to be showcasing the fast charge function of the all-electric i-MiEV city car.

Fast Charge Specifications

The fast charger, supplied by Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO), allows the i-MiEV to recharge from flat to eighty per cent full in just 30 minutes.

The charger's key specification includes:

· 3-phase 400V input

· DC out power of 50kW

· Maximum DC output voltage of 500V

· Maximum DC output current of 100 amperes

· Stand-alone unit measuring approximately 200 x 100 x 80 cms (h x w x d)


Greater Scope For "City Hopping"

You can already commute from Brighton to Central London on a daily basis in the i-MiEV, but the option to quick charge at motorway service areas and superstore car parks gives this multi award winning city car even more scope for longer journeys and greater convenience for the end user.

The average daily journey in the UK, however, is estimated to be less than 30 miles, so vehicle owners can already use their three-pin socket domestic supply, which costs less than a Pound for a full charge. Those with a longer commute can easily 'refill' at their workplace before the journey home.


Fast Charge Revolution

Managing Director, Lance Bradley commented "the fast charge function will revolutionise the way people think about the practicalities of Electric Cars. This is particularly significant with the launch of the Plugged in Places initiative by the Department for Transport, which is seeking to accelerate the implementation of the UK's charging infrastructure".


About the i-MiEV

The i MiEV is a zero-emissions vehicle. Even when taking into account CO2 emissions at the power plants which generate the power needed for charging the car, it emits approximately 30% of the CO2 of a petrol city car.

The cost per mile to drive the i MiEV is less than 6% than that of a comparable petrol vehicle – and this is before you've taken into account zero road tax (VED) and free parking.