Mitsubishi electric car

Summer roads trips and spontaneous outings may get a whole lot cheaper. 

In April, Mitsubishi unveiled the i-MiEV, its new zero-emission electric car, which could be speeding onto Canadian streets in 2010. Well, Vancouver streets to start as Mitsubishi admits they have yet to cold-weather test the vehicle. The company estimates that the i-MiEV (Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle) emits just 30 per cent of the carbon dioxide of a similarly sized internal combustion car.

The i-MiEV contains a 330-volt, 16-kilowatt, 63-horsepower electric motor with 22 lithium-ion batteries. So how does it recharge? Easy! Just plug it in next to your hair dryer. It can be recharged overnight using an average 120-volt or 220-volt household plug, but will take anywhere from 7 to 14 hours depending on the voltage.

If you’re away from home, Mitsubishi plans to eventually have little kiosks known as quick-charge systems, which will be able to restore the battery power to up to 80 per cent in about 30 minutes. Can’t find a kiosk? The i-MiEV also has a “limp-home” mode that will give you a few more kilometres if you drain the system completely.

And if you’re thinking that you are going to have to compromise speed for sustainability, guess again. This little racer can reach speeds an estimated second and a half faster than its gas-fuelled counterpart. In actuality, the car’s top speed is a little over 130 km/h, so although it may not be the number 1 choice for the Autobon, it might become the number 1 choice for eco-conscious consumers.