Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited (MMAL) has confirmed pricing of its new i-MiEV electric vehicle at $48,800.

The pricing is applicable to the newly announced model year 2012 vehicle which will be available for outright purchase by members of the public.  The new model i-MiEV features upgraded specifications including side and curtain airbags and stability control.

MMAL’s President and CEO, Genichiro Nishina, announced the revised pricing today.

“We are very pleased to announce the new recommended retail price of our 2012 model year i-MiEV is $48,800 plus on road costs,” Nishina said.

“This represents a 22.5 per cent reduction on the cost of the previous model, and makes this ground-breaking technology more accessible to general consumers.”

The i-MiEV, which stands for Mitsubishi Innovative Electric Vehicle, is the first volume produced electric vehicle to be available for sale on the Australian market. Last year, 110 were leased to local, state and federal governments and selected innovative organisations. The large number of public enquiries received regarding the launch of the i-MiEV prompted the company to release details of the model ahead of its Australian arrival.

The Mitsubishi i-MiEV will be available from selected Mitsubishi dealers in all capital cities from mid-August. In the interim period, all customer enquiries regarding the availability of the Mitsubishi i-MiEV should be directed to 1300 13 12 11.

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited recommends that the i-MiEV electric vehicle always be charged using renewable or “green” energy.

Mitsubishi’s innovative i-MiEV electric vehicle has today been showcased at NSW Parliament House as part of a NSW Government Trial.

The vehicle, one of only two in the country, is being trialled this week by staff at the Department of Environment Climate Change and Water (DECCW) to test its performance as part of a working fleet. During an official inspection NSW Environment and Climate Change Minister Frank Sartor met with Mitsubishi’s Vice President of Brand and Marketing, Paul Unerkov, received a brief presentation on Mitsubishi’s benchmark electric vehicle technology, and enjoyed a drive in the snappy city commuter.

Mr Sartor is enthusiastic about the potential of electric vehicles in NSW. “Our fleet has about 25,000 vehicles so the potential for electric cars to help us make savings in carbon emissions is huge,” he said.

Mr Sartor said the NSW Government has formed an Electric Vehicle Taskforce to look at the technology, infrastructure, policy, and legislation that would ensure motorists could gain early access to electric vehicles.

Mr Unerkov said “The team at Mitsubishi Motors is proud to be at the forefront of the evolution of environmentally sound motoring in Australia and is looking forward to working with the government on creating a sustainable future”.

Over the next few months, the two Mitsubishi i-MiEVs are set to continue their journey being tested in ‘real world’ environments by government fleets, private fleets and media across the nation.