Canadian Legislative Updates

Canada’s first fully electric Mitsubishi car, the i-MiEV, is now owned and operated by a man in Winnipeg, Manitoba. The vehicle, which is a four-passenger, sub-compact hatchback, has no tailpipe, and emits no greenhouse gases. The owner is committed and motivated to help save the environment.

Taking Manitoba Hydro rates into effect, the cost of fueling the new vehicle is eighty cents per fill. Using a standard 110-volt plug, the electric car can be fully charged within fifteen-to-twenty hours. If the plug is upgraded to a 220-volt socket, it will take about seven hours to charge.

Kenji Itoh, Vice-President of Mitsubishi Motors Canada indicated that the i-MiEV is already fully winter-tested in Canada, in collaboration with Hydro Quebec. This, of course, is great timing as the onset of winter has arrived. However, there are still a few hesitations with winter driving and electric cars. Some worry how far they can go on a single charge. In addition, the car’s electrical battery drains faster in cold weather. 

A key advantage during the winter, however, is the availability of instant electrical heat. Other advantages include savings on overall maintenance costs, as the vehicle will never require oil and has fewer mechanical parts.

The base model for the i-MiEV sells for $32,998 and the fully loaded version runs at $35,998. The Manitoba Electric Vehicle Association is striving to have 4,000 electric cars on the road by 2015.