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Thursday, March 29, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Mitsubishi electric car hits Holland
Courtesy of Mitsubishi News
The cars landed in the U.S. West Coast about four months ago, said dealership General Manager Norm VerHage.
It’s a first look at a vehicle on the cutting edge of an industry that’s investing heavily in Holland, although — for now — the MiEV’s lithium-ion battery and other parts are made overseas.
“We’re hoping it takes off pretty well in Holland, in part, because we’ve go a lot of people here building lithium-ion batteries,” VerHage said. He believes Mitsubishi will eventually open U.S. plants to manufacture the vehicles, since shipping the vehicles and their heavy batteries is expensive.
Recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency as the top-rated car for fuel economy, the MiEV has been on sale in Europe and Asia for some time, with about 16,000 of them on the road in those markets.
Unlike the Chevy Volt, on sale at area General Motors dealers such as DeNooyer Chevrolet for months, the MiEV is powered solely by electricity. More of a runabout than a commuter vehicle — having an average range of 62 miles on a full charge — the car is aimed at three-car families with a household income of more than $100,000, VerHage said. It retails for about $30,000, but qualifies for a federal tax credit of $7,500.
The MiEV can be charged at one of the charging stations around town or through an adapter that connects to a dedicated 20-amp AC outlet in an owner’s home. A separate 440-volt charge site allows the vehicle to receive an 80 percent charge within half an hour, VerHage said.
After installing charge stations, training employees and buying displays and tools a to work on the cars, adding the MiEV to the dealership’s lineup represented about a $30,000 investment, VerHage said. He’s ordered a total of four of the vehicles and will have one available for sale in about three weeks.
Dealers learned from the Chevy Volt that customers will come in to look at, or test drive, the cutting-edge car, but buy something less avant-garde.
But it’s still a fun test drive — and a quiet one.
“It’s just a whole different way of looking at transportation,” said VerHage salesman Ken Beukelman, who first test-drove the MiEV at a Chicago event in late January. “Actually, I went into it somewhat skeptical, and came out impressed.”
Monday, March 26, 2012
New tax law ends vehicle ad valorem, adds title tax
Courtesy of 11alive.com
Beginning on that date, a big change in Georgia's tax laws will eliminate that tax for motorists. In its place, a one-time title tax will come into being for purchases of new or used cars after that date.
The big question: will the new tax cost motorists more?
For most people, the answer is no.
Motorists who purchase a new or used car or truck now pays a sales tax on the vehicle, then a once-per-year tax based on the value of the vehicle. That fee is paid out when the vehicle's tags are renewed each year.
As a result of this change, the ad valorem tax deduction vehicle owners have been able to take will go away.
For purchases on or after March 1, 2013, owners will pay a title tax of 6.5 to 7 percent on the purchase of the vehicle.
Buy a car, truck or used vehicle right now and you will pay a sales tax and on top of that--on your birthday--you'll pay a once-a-year Ad-Valorem tax based on the value of the vehicle.
"The title fee takes off the sales tax. There is no sales tax and there is no ad valorem on the car--a one-time title fee until 2015 will be less than the sales tax you pay on your vehicle," said Rep. Tom Rice (R-Norcross).
For car owners who have been paying an ongoing ad valorem tax each year on their vehicle, they will continue to pay that tax as long as they own that vehicle.
But under the new tax law and rules, motorists will not have to pay more.
For example, a motorist purchasing a new vehicle for $40,000 today pays sales tax -- 7 percent in most Georgia counties -- which in most counties would come to $2,800. After that, motorists continue paying an annual ad valorem tax based on the value of the vehicle. In this example, the motorist would pay about $700 per year, which comes with the license plate renewal.
After the new tax law kicks in next March, that same motorist would end up paying a one-time title tax that would come out to about $2,800. That's it. No sales tax; no annual ad valorem tax.
That would allow the annual out-of-pocket fee for license plates to drop significantly.
Friday, March 23, 2012
2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport grabs IIHS Top Safety Pick
Courtesy of Autoblog.com
- Front impact crash testing
- Side impact crash testing
- Roof strength test results
- Rear crash protection/head restraint ratings
With a starting MSRP of only $18,795, the 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport provides comfortable and roomy seating for five, is powered by a capable 148 horsepower 4-cylinder engine that achieves an EPA-rated 25 mpg city/31 mpg highway and features energy-saving technologies including Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and a specially-designed high-efficiency alternator. Available options include an advanced Continuously-Variable Transmission (CVT), panoramic glass roof, 9-speaker Rockford-Fosgate® premium audio system, HDD navigation system and Mitsubishi's legendary All Wheel Control (AWC) all-wheel drive system.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Mitsubishi shrinks EV engines
COURTESY OF TG
The auto manufacturer recently released news of a prototype electric vehicle motor system that features a built-in silicon carbide inverter, making the system smaller and lighter than earlier versions and potentially improving vehicle energy efficiency.
The car company says its latest innovation will give automakers the ability to develop electric cars with greater passenger space as the new built-in inverter (the electrical device which converts direct current to the more manageable alternating current) is designed at only half the dimensions of their current electric motor system, which comprises separate motors and the inverters that drive those motors.
The new inverter is also cylinder-shaped and equal in diameter to the motor itself, enabling it to be connected coaxially within a chassis.
Perhaps the most important component of the new electric motor system is Mitsubishi's decision to switch from using silicon chips in the powering devices for inverter switching, to using silicon carbide.
The subtle difference in the chemical component is extremely important, as silicon carbide has a breakdown electric field tens times greater than silicon alone, allowing for thinner chips. The silicon carbide chips also have a 50% reduction in loss compared to the older chip model.
Mitsubishi has also improved its permanent, neodymium magnent motor, and was able to reduce the size while seeing magnetic efficiency increase and a 5 percent power output boost.
Electric vehicles and hybrids are in a somewhat interesting position in the American market at the moment. While February saw an increase in green car sales, Chevrolet has temporarily suspended production of its much-talked-about Volt, saying the vehicle has become a "political punching bag."
The heated debate surrounding government assistance for the automobile industry, already a hot-button issue, has seemingly increased during this election year. EarthTechling's Susan Kraemer made a compelling argument that the Obama administration's $5 billion investment to reduce the cost of batteries in electric cars by half by 2015 will make electric vehicles more affordable for everyone.
Still, if Mitsubishi wants its i-MiEV, which was only recently released into the U.S. market, to start to reach sales levels of the Nissan Leaf, then it will need to appeal to consumers outside the traditional base of early green-tech adopters who are comfortable paying more for a vehicle that's often smaller and less powerful than gasoline models. Plus, the company will have to compete with Ford's latest electric Focus.
By creating a new motor system that is smaller is size and weight, Mitsubishi should, someday, be able to create a car that is a bit larger and more powerful than the i-MiEV, which is admittedly price competitive compared to other electric vehicles, but ultimately still too miniature for many drivers' tastes.
Mitsubishi says it will commercialize the new electric motor system after finalizing cooling technology, downsizing and energy efficiency. If the new technology is as beneficial as the company claims, the advancement could be a boon to manufacturers everywhere, who can mimic the designs to make their own products better.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Mitsubishi Motors to Launch MiEV Power BOX 1500 Watt Power Feeder for its Electric Vehicles
Courtesy of Mitsubishi Newsroom
Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announced today that it will bring to market on April 27 the new MiEV power BOX power feeder which is capable of supplying large amounts of electrical power from an electric vehicle (EV). Supplied by a Mitsubishi Group affiliate, the MiEV power BOX will be offered as a dealer option for the company's i-MiEV*1 and MINICAB-MiEV EVs and will carry a manufacturer's recommended tax-inclusive price of ¥149,800.
*1: Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle
The MiEV power BOX is an adapter that plugs into the i-MiEV or MINICAB-MiEV's quick charging connector and is capable of supplying up to 1500 watts of AC electricity from the power stored in the vehicle's drive battery. It has been designed mainly to power household electrical appliances either when away from home or in an emergency. When connected to a fully-charged 16.0 kWh battery-equipped model the MiEV power BOX can supply 1500 watts of power for between five and six hours, equivalent to the amount consumed by an average Japanese household in a single day.
Much attention is currently being focused on the storage capabilities of high capacity EV batteries as a power source for use in major disasters and other emergencies. This comes at a time when solar power, wind power, and other recyclable energy sources are being promoted and the near-future implementation of "smart grids" which will allow the more effective use of electrical power. More and more people are looking to the EV both in terms of its traditional role of addressing environmental issues and also as a means of addressing ever-growing pressures on the demand and supply of energy. To meet these expectations MMC is pushing forward research and development into related technologies, one of which is the MiEV power BOX.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
2012 Galant
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
2013 Mitsubishi Outlander at the 2012 Geneva International Motor Show
Courtesy of Chicago Tribune 
Mitsubishi's Outlander is going green. The Outlander is redesigned for 2013 with more sculpted styling, new safety features and plans for a plug-in model.
The third generation of the midsize crossover loses less than an inch in length and gets a whole new look, including a restyled grille with Mitsubishi's three-diamond logo prominently displayed, a raised belt line, a more contoured body and wraparound headlamps. We first saw the new design in concept guise from the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show.
Europe will get diesel and gas versions: a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine and a 2.2-liter four-cylinder turbo-diesel with stop-start functionality. No word yet on U.S. powertrains, but we expect the diesel won't be offered here.
The Outlander will continue to seat five or seven passengers, but the second row seat gets an update, including a new 50/50-split formation. Several new comfort and convenience features will be offered on the 2013 model, including dual-zone air conditioning and a tilt/telescopic steering wheel (the one on the current generation just tilts). Mitsubishi says the new Outlander uses a higher grade of interior materials for a more soft-touch and comfortable cabin. Also for 2013, the tailgate is now one piece with a newly optional power function.
In terms of safety, Mitsubishi added a slew of new systems to the Outlander, such as lane departure warning, adaptive cruise control and forward collision mitigation. The latter sounds a lot like Volvo's City Safety in that it detects obstacles in front of the car and automatically applies the brakes if needed to avoid a crash.
The new Outlander will go on sale first in Russia this summer, followed by Japan, China, North America and Europe. The plug-in model will debut after the regular vehicle's launch. It will borrow technology from the Mitsubishi i subcompact electric car.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Mitsubishi readies i-MiEV-based prototype for Pikes Peak climb this summer
Courtesy of Autoblog
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