Mitsubishi i lands on the West Coast

A Mitsubishi i, or MiEV, sits on a showroom floor in Los Angeles. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

NORMAL – As the Mitsubishi i electric vehicle lands on the West Coast this week, Illinois’ delivery date is still a little down the road.

“It’ll probably jump from California to the northeast in New York state and then Illinois,” Mitsubishi Motors North America spokesman Dan Irvin said Tuesday. “After that, hopefully we’ll arrive in the states in between later into the summer.”

Mitsubishi sold its first U.S. i last month in Hawaii. Tuesday, models were delivered in California, Oregon and Washington state.

Irvin said Illinois could see its first Mitsubishi i as early as March. The model’s base price will be just under $22,000 after a federal tax incentive for eco-friendly vehicles.  The i, or Mitsubishi innovative Electric Vehicle (MiEV), is 100 percent electric.

Irvin believes people on the buyer-waiting list are looking forward to finally getting their hands on the electric vehicle after months of buildup. He counts himself among those waiting in the Midwest.

“I have an in-town commute,” he said. “I can plug it in in my garage every night, and for that car at least, I won’t have to buy any gasoline.”

The i was was recently named the No. 1 vehicle on the Environmental Protection Agency’s list of “Fuel Economy Leaders: 2012 Model Year.” It will be on display in Uptown Normal on Thursday, Jan. 26, along with several other electric vehicle models.

The Normal Theater will host the event inside both the theater and adjoining space in the Uptown Marriott’s conference center. Anyone who buys a ticket to see the film “Revenge of the Electric Car” will also be invited to see several electric models in person and talk with the filmmaker.  The documentary is a sequel to the film “Who Killed the Electric Car?”.

Beth Whisman can be reached at whisman@wjbc.com.

Amanda Pigott contributed to this report.