i-MiEV Pre Orders Sell Out in First Two Months : Gas 2.0

i-MiEV Pre Orders Sell Out in First Two Months

Written by Susan Kraemer

Published on September 14th, 2009

Uh-oh. I guess I’m not the one who has been waiting impatiently for my i-MiEV. The EV I want has sold out all of it’s 2009 production in Japan. In just 60 days!

After the official launch of the Japanese market for its urban electric i-MiEV in July this year, Mitsubishi now has orders for all 2,000 of the cars scheduled for production in fiscal 2009.

» See also: Is the Renault-Nissan Alliance Going in Two Different Electric Car Directions?
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The company started taking orders through its dealer network in July allowing pre-orders for fleet customers only this year, completing its first production run planned for 2,000 units. The fleet deliveries have already begun. The Japanese Post Office took delivery of the first i-MiEVs in July. With these additional 900 fleet sales, the quota for the first 2,000 is used up.

Consumer sales in Japan for the car will begin next April, and Mitsubishi plans the 2010 production-run to total around 5,000 units. Next Mitsubishi plans 15,000 i-MiEVs in 2011 and by 2013 30,000 iMiEVs. At that point the car hits the break even point for profitability as a unit for Mitsubishi. Then it can really ramp up to regular production.