The i-MiEV was launched for fleet customers in Japan in July 2009, becoming the world's first modern highway-capable
mass production electric car. Sales to retail customers began in Japan in April 2010. By 2012, accounting for all vehicles of the iMiEV brand, Mitsubishi reported around 27,200 units sold or exported since 2009 through December 2012, including the
minicab MiEVs sold in Japan, and the units rebadged and sold as Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero in the European market. , about 37,600 i-MiEV family passenger cars have been sold worldwide since 2009, including the rebadged Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero sold in Europe. , Japan was the top selling country market with 10,011 i-MiEVs sold. and Germany with 2,419 units. The fifth largest country market is the United States, with 1,831 i-MiEVs sold through August 2014.
Australia In March 2009 the i-MiEV was exhibited in
Australia at the
Melbourne International Motor Show, and afterwards was toured throughout the country. Beginning in mid 2009, Mitsubishi conducted a twelve-month field trial with potential electric vehicle customers, such as local, state and federal government bodies, and major fleet operators. Sales for fleet customers began in Australia in August 2010 under leasing agreement at a price of a month for 36 months, for a cumulative total of after which the car has to be returned to the dealer. The initial shipment included only 40 units, but
Mitsubishi Motors Australia reported that just before the launch it had received applications for more than 100 vehicles from private companies and government departments. The initial batch of vehicles leased to government and corporate fleets totals 112 vehicles. Retail sales to the public began in August 2011. Currently, there are no government incentive or rebate schemes for purchasing fuel-efficient vehicles in the country. The new Australian i-MiEV version is similar to the European-spec model released in 2011, with minor changes such as new three-spoke alloy wheels, a few minor exterior tweaks including dark tinted headlights and a revised front bumper with fog lights. With an
Australian Design Rules approved range of , the Australian-spec i-MiEV is sold for ( as of July 2011) through specially equipped Mitsubishi dealerships (one in each capital city and two in Sydney). Mitsubishi anticipates 5 sales to the public per month. Since then a large number of dealerships across Australia have purchased scoops of these vehicles and most dealerships (mainly in Victoria) have a single i-Miev in their showrooms at prices never seen in this market before. During 2011 a total of 30 i MiEVs were sold, and cumulative sales reached 252 units through December 2013. , Mitsubishi is no longer selling the i-MiEV due to slow sales.
Canada test program In January 2009,
Hydro-Québec and Mitsubishi signed an agreement to test 50 i-MiEVs, the largest pilot test of electric cars in Canada ever. The test's goal was to allow a better understanding of winter usage of the technology. BC-Hydro and Mitsubishi had previously tested a three-vehicle fleet in
British Columbia. The first five i-MiEVs were delivered in December 2010 and were assigned to staff from the city of
Boucherville. In October 2010,
Transport Canada and Mitsubishi Motor Sales of Canada announced a partnership to test the Mitsubishi i-MiEV. Transport Canada's ecoTECHNOLOGY for Vehicles (eTV) Program tested two i-MiEVs in government facilities and in a variety of real-world conditions. This program aim was to evaluate the i-MiEV road performance and range. Retail sales of the i-MiEV began in December 2011 at a starting price of () before any
government incentives available in
Ontario and
Quebec. Cumulative sales through December 2014 reached 496 units. Mitsubishi sold the US i-MiEV version in Canada, although the international version was used in test fleets, and two trims were offered: standard and premium. The premium package price was () and included leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, 15-inch alloy wheels, premium audio system, HDD Navigation system,
Bluetooth 2.0 hands-free cellular phone interface with streaming audio and USB input with voice control.
Europe The European version of the i-MiEV was introduced at the
2010 Paris Motor Show. Specific features of the European version include a new design to the front and rear bumpers to meet
EU regulations, re-arranged center stack in the instrument panel, improved interior comfort and both active and passive safety features have been improved with the addition of Active Stability Control (ASC), as well as side and curtain airbags, all included as standard equipment. The European MiEV achieves an
all-electric range of under the European
NEDC driving pattern. In January 2011, Mitsubishi shipped 2,500 i-MiEVs from Japan and began sales in 15 countries:
Austria,
Belgium,
Denmark,
France,
Germany,
Ireland,
Italy, the
Netherlands,
Norway,
Poland,
Portugal,
Spain,
Sweden,
Switzerland, and the
United Kingdom, and further expand the European roll out through 2011. Mitsubishi also run demonstration programs with the i-MiEV in the
Principality of Monaco,
Iceland, and
Denmark.
Denmark Deliveries began in 2011. A total of 550 units have been registered in Denmark through December 2013, including 227 iOns, 202 C-Zeros, and 121 i MiEVs.
Estonia On March 3, 2011, the government of
Estonia confirmed the sale to
Mitsubishi Corporation of 10 million
carbon dioxide credits in exchange for 507 i-MiEV electric cars. The deal also includes funding to build 250 express
charging stations in larger towns and main highways by 2013, and will subsidize the first 500 private buyers of any electric car approved by the European Union. The first 50 i-MiEVs were delivered in October 2011 and this official fleet will be assigned for use by municipal
social workers. During the first round of allocations of the electric cars, municipalities requested only 336 of the 507 i-MiEVs available. Several local authorities have stated concerns about the i-MiEV's performance during harsh winter conditions, maintenance costs, and reliability on difficult countryside roads.
France , France. The i-MiEV family sold 1,326 units in 2011, representing a market share of 50.4% of electric car sales in France. Sales were led by the Citroën C-Zero with 645 units followed by the Peugeot iOns with 639 vehicles, and the i-MiEVs with 42 units sold in 2011. In 2011
PSA Peugeot Citroën was awarded a contract to supply 3,900 electric cars to the
French Government, to be used by government officials in Paris. Since its introduction in 2010, the i-MiEV family has sold 4,772 units through December 2014, including 2,419 iOns, 2,241 C-Zeros, and 112 i-MiEVs.
Germany The i-MiEV was launched in Germany in December 2010 at a price of (~). The only incentive available is an exemption from the annual circulation tax for a period of five years from the date of first registration. On August 30, 2012, approximately 100 Citroën C-Zeros were deployed in Berlin as part of the
Multicity Carsharing program. The number of cars is expected to grow to 500 by year end. Sales of the i-MiEV family represented 50.6% of all electric car sales in the country in 2011. Combined sales of the three variants peaked in 2011, with 1,146 units registered, and then fell to 788 units in 2012 and 413 in 2013. , a total of 2,494 units have been sold consisting of 976 i-MiEVs, 965 C-Zeros, and 553 iOns.
Italy Retail deliveries began in February 2011. Cumulative sales totaled 540 units through December 2013 including 295 C-Zeros, 189 iOns and 56 i-MiEVs.
Netherlands Sales started in 2011. In January 2019, the importer announced the i-MiEV would be discontinued. A total of 154 i-MiEVs were sold, as well as 228 C-Zeros and 325 Ions, making up a combined total of 707 units. Both the Peugeot as the Citroën will still be available.
Norway After deliveries began in January 2011, the i-MiEV became the best selling electric car in Norway for a time, and the 1000th i-MiEV was delivered in November 2011. A total of 2,240 electric cars were sold in Norway during 2011, of which, 1,050 were i-MiEVS, 210 were Citroën C-Zeros, and 217 Peugeot iOns, for combined sales of 1,477 units representing together a 66% share of all electric cars sold during the year. Registrations climbed to 1,670 units in 2012, then fell to 1,094 in 2013, and stabilized in 2014 with 1,093 units. Cumulative registrations through December 2014 reached 5,334 units, including 2,589 i-MiEVs, 1,352 C-Zeros, and 1,393 iOns. The Norwegian market is one of 4 where the iMiev remains on sale in 2020. , Spain, operating for the IBILEK
car sharing service.
Russia Some cars were bought by
Gazprom for a trial operation.
Spain Retail sales began in December 2010 and the i-MiEV price starts at before sales tax or any
government incentives. A total of 233 i-MiEV family electric cars were sold during 2011, representing 58% of all electric vehicles sold in Spain that year. Cumulative sales through December 2013 reached 546 units including 204 iOns, 196 i-MiEVs and 146 C-Zeros.
Sweden Since their inception a total of 196 units were registered in Sweden through December 2013, including 92 i MiEVs, 67 C-Zeros, and 37 iOns.
Switzerland Deliveries began in 2011. Cumulative registrations totaled 615 units through December 2013, including 342 i-MiEVs, 155 C-Zeros and 118 iOns. This is one of the few markets that the iMiev remains on sale in, as of 2020, along with Hungary and Croatia.
United Kingdom In December 2009, Mitsubishi began an electric vehicle trial in the
UK with a fleet of 25 i-MiEVs. The i-MiEV demonstration is part of the project
Coventry and
Birmingham Low Emission Vehicle Demonstrators (CABLED), which ran in the
English Midlands with a variety of vehicles including
plug-in hybrids and the
extended range electric Jaguar XJ. In March 2010, Mitsubishi announced that the i-MiEV would be sold at a price of (~), but in August 2010 the company reduced the price to (~). Sales to the public in the UK began in January 2011, which coincided with the date the
Plug-in Car Grant came into effect. Mitsubishi authorized 13 sales centres with two in London and the rest spread across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland. A total of 862 units have been registered in the UK through June 2013, including 401 iOns, 260 i MiEVs, and 201 C-Zeros. In June 2016, reports surfaced that the i-Miev was no longer being sold in the UK, and no more new vehicles would be available. Mitsubishi have not supported UK cars with the same 10 year traction battery warranty provided in other markets.
Japan in
Japan. The i-MiEV was launched for fleet customers in
Japan in late July 2009, after Mitsubishi's more than 40 years in development of electric vehicles. Initial price was set at (). The Japanese government is offering
subsidies of up to , and some local governments are also offering additional subsidies that could bring the price down to as low as . Mitsubishi reduced the price of the vehicle by () to just below two days before it went for retail sales in Japan in April 2010 to compete with the
Nissan Leaf. As of early 2010 there were 60
charging stations in Japan. In March 2010, the company said it had received about 2,000 advance orders in Japan for the vehicle. Sales in the Japanese market raised from 986 in 2009 to 2,340 in 2010, and then stabilized at 2,290 units in 2011 and 2,295 in 2012. Sales fell to 1,491 units during 2013, and to 1,021 units during 2014. , cumulative sales reached 10,423 i-MiEVs since July 2009. Two new trims levels were launched in the Japanese market in the second half of 2011. Beginning on July 25, the lower-level "M grade" trim will be sold for () after the government subsidy. The "M" trim has a 10.5
kWh battery At the same time, Mitsubishi introduced
Minicab-MiEV van and truck variants of its Minicab using the same drivetrain and storage battery options as the "M grade" and "G grade" i-MiEV.
United States The first fleet and individual customer deliveries in the U.S. took place in December 2011. and includes more features than the Japanese and European versions in order to meet crash standards, government mandates, and the preferences of the U.S. consumers. The American version is longer than the Japanese version, wider, and slightly taller. It also has advanced
airbags and the mandated
tire-pressure monitoring system (TPMS), has an upgraded interior and features more accessories. The entry-level ES trim started at , the SE trim at , and the SE Premium version was priced at including an HDD navigation system and better entertainment and audio options. These prices did not include a destination charge. For either of the models, available options include a factory-installed
CHAdeMO fast-charging port for and the Cold Zone package, which includes a battery warming system and heated outside mirrors for . In November 2010, Mitsubishi announced partnerships with
Eaton and
Best Buy for sales and home installation of
recharging units. The first delivery to a fleet customer took place on December 8, 2011, in
San Francisco. The first delivery went to City CarShare, a non-profit
carsharing service that operates in San Francisco,
Oakland, and
Berkeley. The first individual customer delivery took place on
Honolulu, Hawaii, on December 12, 2011. Sales increased from 80 units in 2011 to 588 in 2012, and rose to 1,029 during 2013. Sales fell to only 196 in 2014. A total of 1,893 i cars had been sold in the U.S. through December 2014. In August 2017, a Mitsubishi representative confirmed that the i-MiEV had been discontinued in the United States.
Other countries ;Chile The i-MiEV was launched in May 2011 at a price of
CLP27,7 million (). Initial availability is limited to 25 units. The first public quick
charging station in the country was opened in April 2011 in preparation for the arrival of the first i-MiEV electric cars. , only 10 units have been sold. the dealer is no longer selling the i-MiEV, it has been replaced by the
Outlander plug-in hybrid. ;Costa Rica The i-MiEV was launched in February 2011 at a price of . Costa Rica does not have any government incentives for electric cars. According to Mitsubishi, Costa Rica was selected at the first market launch in
the Americas due to its environmental record. Initial availability will be limited to 25 to 50 units. Sales are oriented to supply mainly fleet customers including government agencies and electric companies. ;Hong Kong In December 2009, the
Hong Kong Government and other corporation began testing the i-MiEV, totaling 30 vehicles tested until May 2010. Sales to the public in Hong Kong began in May 2010 at a price of (~). ;Malaysia The i-MiEV was released in Malaysia in March 2013 at a price starting at (approx ), becoming the first electric car sold in the country. Mitsubishi expects to sell more than 50 units during its first year in the market. ;New Zealand Between January and March 2009 the i-MiEV was brought to
New Zealand as part of an electric vehicle trial, during which the i-MiEV travelled the entire country, testing infrastructure and demonstrating the vehicle to the public. As of March 2011 there were 8 i-MiEV in use in
Wellington, as a field trial sponsored by the
Wellington City Council,
New Zealand Post,
Meridian Energy, The Wellington Company and Mitsubishi Motors. Sales to the public were scheduled for July 2011 at a price of (~), and the number of units were to be limited. ;Russian Federation The i-MiEV was launched in June 2011 at a price of (~). The price would be sat at (~) on 1 February 2014. There were 211 cars sold in 2013, many of them bought by government organizations. As of 2013–2014 i-MieV was the only electric car sold in Russia. ;Singapore In November 2010 Mitsubishi signed an agreement with the Singaporean government to introduce electric vehicles in the country. Mitsubishi will supply 25 i-MiEVs in 2011 to the
Economic Development Board, the
Energy Market Authority and the
Land Transport Authority, which are part of a multi-agency EV task force. This agreement is part of a three-year test program that will deploy
charging infrastructure for electric vehicles and evaluate the cost benefits of EVs for future adoption. ;Thailand In December 2010, Mitsubishi Motors and the government of Thailand agreed to start fleet testing electric vehicles for a possible launch of i-MiEV. In July 2011, a new agreement was signed to begin the trials with the participation of the Metropolitan Electricity Authority (MEA) and PEA ENCOM International (PEA), two of Thailand's electricity distribution companies. ;United Arab Emirates A test fleet of 10 i-MiEVs was deployed in
Masdar City in
Abu Dhabi in 2011 as part of a one-year pilot to test a point-to-point transportation solution for the city as complement of its sustainable public transportation systems, the
Personal Rapid Transit (PRT) and the Freight Rapid Transit (FRT), both of which consist of automated electric-powered vehicles. Additionally the Dubai Mall owns a small fleet of Peugeot iOns, intended to be delivery vehicles.
Global sales By the end of April 2019, the combined sales of the i-MiEV and Minicab MiEV had reached over 31,000 units. Including the rebadged Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero sold in Europe, by the end of February 2018 a total of 46,827 i-MiEV family passenger cars had been sold worldwide since 2009. The following table presents total retail sales by year since deliveries of the i-MiEV began in July 2009 for the top selling national markets by variant (Mitsubishi i-MiEV/i, Peugeot iOn and Citroën C-Zero) through June 2014. ==Awards and recognition==