The Mitsubishi i electric vehicle (MiEV) received the highest fuel efficiency rating in the EPA’s most recent Fuel Economy guide. Photo: PRNewsFoto/Mitsubishi Motor Sales of America, Inc., Jason Chatterley Design
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The 2012 Mitsubishi i electric vehicle (MiEV) nabbed the top spot on the Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy’s most recent Fuel Economy Guide, the automaker announced last week.
Set to hit dealerships early next year, the zero-emission, all-electric vehicle received an impressive rating of 112 combined miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) – 126 MPGe for city driving and 99 MPGe on the highway.
Nissan’s all-electric LEAF, in comparison, was rated at 99 combined, 106 city and 92 highway MPGe.
“We are very pleased to see that the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy have rated the 2012 Mitsubishi i as the top fuel economy leader in its annual Fuel Economy Guide,” said Yoichi Yokozawa, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America, in a statement.
“With 17,000 i-MiEV-based units produced for various international markets, we look forward to providing North American consumers with an exceptionally well-engineered electric vehicle that has proven itself to be reliable, safe, efficient and very affordable in overall price and cost of operation.”
The four-seater can run up to 62 miles on a single charge and features three driving modes to boost driving range or improve performance: maximum fun, maximum economy and maximum regenerative brake power.
The car’s lithium-ion battery fully charges in seven hours on a professionally-installed 240V home charging outlet or 22.5 hours on a standard 120V household outlet.
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