WINNIPEG, - Ross Redman has been waiting for this moment for almost four years. In 2008, he put a $5,000 deposit down on an electric vehicle that would be coming to Canada at some point in the future. That day is now here as the first Mitsubishi i-MiEV (Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle) sold in Canada was delivered to its biggest fan at Waverley Mitsubishi.
"I've wanted to own an electric car since the 1960's," stated Mr. Redman, "I put the deposit down hoping I would be able to make a fully electric car my daily commuter vehicle. I can't wait to drive it off the lot."
"Congratulations to Mr. Redman on receiving the first retail i-MiEV delivered in Canada," said Mr. Kenji Toh, Vice President of Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada Inc. (MMSCAN). "The excitement generated over the past year for the i-MiEV and the future of our electric vehicles speaks volumes about Mitsubishi's approach to technology and the environment."
Mr. Redman plans on making the i-MiEV a big part of his eco-friendly life, which already includes recycling and composting, low-flow bathroom fixtures and roof mounted home solar panels. In addition to biking, walking and planting trees, he will deploy the i-MiEV's zero-tailpipe emission driving into his daily life.
More than 95% of Manitoba's electricity is renewable electricity generated in its grid-mix, and thus, almost completely greenhouse gas (GHG)-free. For Manitobans like Mr. Redman, switching from a gasoline vehicle to an electric vehicle would create large-scale GHG reductions. (Source: Manitoba's Electric Vehicle Road Map by the Government of Manitoba, April 2011).
The i-MiEV, Canada's most efficient electric vehicle, is now available at dealers across Canada and will be seen on roads in January 2012.
The 2012 Mitsubishi i-MiEV is a five-door, 4-passenger, subcompact hatchback that has been designed and packaged to be efficient, ecological and fun to drive. It will be the most affordable, mass-produced, all-electric vehicle in the Canadian marketplace, and with a range of up to 155 kilometers, with a top speed of 130 km/h, the i-MiEV will make an excellent commuter vehicle for many Canadians living in urban areas.
Thanks to its excellent fuel efficiency rating of 2.1Le/100km (112 MPGe), the i-MiEV has scored first-place honours of "Fuel Economy Leaders: 2012 Model Year" by the EPA annual Fuel Economy Guide in the US.
The well-equipped i-MiEV will be available in two trim levels. The standard i-MiEV will have a starting price of $32,998.00, which is approximately $5,000 less than any other 100% electric vehicle currently in the Canadian market. The top of the line i-MiEV with the Premium Package will have a starting price of $35,998.00.
Provincial governments of Ontario, Quebec and British Columbia have already announced subsidies towards the purchase of electric vehicles. Incentives for the i-MiEV are; $8,231 in Ontario, $7,769 expected in Quebec and $5,000 in British Columbia. Certain provinces are offering additional incentives on the acquisition of Electric Vehicle Supply Equipment (EVSE).
