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Same Electric Car + Different Brands = $18,000 Price Difference?

March 16, 2010 by 16 Comments
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Peugeot and Mitsubishi have some ‘splainin to do.

Mitsubishi plans to start selling their i-MiEV electric car in Europe later this year. In partnership with Mitsubishi, the i-MiEV will also be sold in Europe as the Peugeot iOn and the Citroen C-Zero.

The problem: Mitsu has said the i-MiEV will have a street price of 48,000 euros before any tax breaks and credits (roughly $66,000 US), whereas Peugeot and Citroen have said their versions of the i-MiEV will sell for less than 35,000 euros before tax breaks (about $48,000 US).

That’s a whopping price differential of 13,000 euros ($18,000 US) — for the same car!According to a report on Automotive News (subs. req’d), both Peugeot and Mitsubishi confirmed their starting prices independently last week, but wouldn’t say why their was such a huge price difference. What’s even crazier is that the i-MiEVs, iOns and C-Zeros will all be built at the same plant in Japan.

Certainly the three vehicles will get different styling, interiors and, of course, badges — but $18,000 worth? Unless the i-MiEV has some solid gold pedals, a platinum steering wheel, and leather from the hides of cows that were raised in space, my money’s on the other cars.

Hopefully we’ll get some clarity on this issue soon, but until then it sure is a head scratcher.

Source: Automotive News (subs. req’d)

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  • Chris O

    Makes it easy to make up your mind which one to pick: obviously…the Nissan Leaf. Why bother with these $48-66K overpriced microcars if you can get a decent size car with better range like the Nissan Leaf for (a rumoured) $30K?

    • Nick Chambers

      While it’s true that Nissan has suggested a price of around 25-30K in the US, I have not seen suggested prices for other countries yet. Mitsubishi will most certainly not sell their i-MiEV in the US for 48K, they’d have to be kind of stupid to do that considering that even a Volt won’t cost more than 40K. Usually all vehicles, regardless of type, are much more expensive in Europe because of the huge amount of taxes put on them.

  • Chris O

    Makes it easy to make up your mind which one to pick: obviously…the Nissan Leaf. Why bother with these $48-66K overpriced microcars if you can get a decent size car with better range like the Nissan Leaf for (a rumoured) $30K?

    • Nick Chambers

      While it’s true that Nissan has suggested a price of around 25-30K in the US, I have not seen suggested prices for other countries yet. Mitsubishi will most certainly not sell their i-MiEV in the US for 48K, they’d have to be kind of stupid to do that considering that even a Volt won’t cost more than 40K. Usually all vehicles, regardless of type, are much more expensive in Europe because of the huge amount of taxes put on them.

  • Eddie

    $50k for THAT? I’ll take a Mercedes E-Class, for that money.

  • Eddie

    $50k for THAT? I’ll take a Mercedes E-Class, for that money.

  • http://www.technologyslice.com.au Tech

    Sounds like they are trying to rip people off according to the badge they put on the car.

  • http://www.technologyslice.com.au Tech

    Sounds like they are trying to rip people off according to the badge they put on the car.

  • ChuckL

    Those high prices in Europe are a result of the Value Added Tax. The equivalent is being pushed as a fair tax by some politicians in this country.

  • ChuckL

    Those high prices in Europe are a result of the Value Added Tax. The equivalent is being pushed as a fair tax by some politicians in this country.

  • Chris O

    Actually Mitsubishi/PSA avoids putting a price on these vehicles in Europe by offering them as a lease proposition at a staggering €500 per month. Again: not competitive if Pininfarina/Bollore lives up to it’s promise to get it’s Bluecar on the market by the end of this year. remember they are taking lease orders at €330,-per month for a product that looks more like a real car and has better range.

  • Chris O

    Actually Mitsubishi/PSA avoids putting a price on these vehicles in Europe by offering them as a lease proposition at a staggering €500 per month. Again: not competitive if Pininfarina/Bollore lives up to it’s promise to get it’s Bluecar on the market by the end of this year. remember they are taking lease orders at €330,-per month for a product that looks more like a real car and has better range.

  • douglas prince

    It’s probably the add-on’s that come with certain names – leather seats, retractable cup holders, in-dash map guides, and the other worthless dreck shoved down the car-buying public’s throat.

  • douglas prince

    It’s probably the add-on’s that come with certain names – leather seats, retractable cup holders, in-dash map guides, and the other worthless dreck shoved down the car-buying public’s throat.

  • http://carcarecompany.com Denis Foley

    Wow, that is quite a price tag, plus why the big difference in prices between the identical car from two manufacturers?

    I only hope that the Peugeot/Citroën, Mitsubishi marriage proves to be a good one. Some of the other ones that Mitsubishi has had with other car manufacturers have not worked out.

    I know that Peugeot/Citroën has coupled with Mitsubishi for electric technology. Sitting at a traffic light behind a Chrysler Neon with a few miles on it, I can assure you it isn’t for their engine technology.

  • http://carcarecompany.com Denis Foley

    Wow, that is quite a price tag, plus why the big difference in prices between the identical car from two manufacturers?

    I only hope that the Peugeot/Citroën, Mitsubishi marriage proves to be a good one. Some of the other ones that Mitsubishi has had with other car manufacturers have not worked out.

    I know that Peugeot/Citroën has coupled with Mitsubishi for electric technology. Sitting at a traffic light behind a Chrysler Neon with a few miles on it, I can assure you it isn’t for their engine technology.