Official Mitsubishi i-MiEV Thread

[mwalsh]

I'm not sure that is completely true... Remember the issues with different EVSEs, Volt versus Leaf...

Hmmm.....I'll bet that's not the case - J1772 is J1772. If I can charge my LEAF with the Eaton they're using for the "i" at Mitsubishi's HQ, I'd be pretty certain I could charge the "i" with my AV charger at home.

I suppose there's only one way to find out....get ourselves an "i" and give it a try! I'll get to work on that!

 

[gbarry42]

Ingineer can fix it He fixed the Volt bug.

 

[TomT]

I'm not sure I would call it a bug, just a difference in interpretation of the "standard..." Volt wasn't necessarily wrong.

Ingineer can fix it He fixed the Volt bug.

 

[cmjars]

So I talked to Mitsubishi today and they said the Leaf Charging Dock will not work with the i-MiEV. This is crazy... so we are supposed to have a different charging dock for each different kind of EV? The i-MiEV would have fit perfect in my garage next to my leaf.

Can't believe I spent all that money for a proprietary charger...

Mitsubishi said it's not the hookup that won't work it's the Charger it's self that is not compitable.

Who at Mitsubishi did you speak with? What EVSE(s) IS it compatible with? Blink?, Coulomb? Where is the list of compatible units? Did you get a home assessment? From who?

I called the main number she put me on hold "said she had to ask her manager" came back and said she was told that the i is not compatible with the Aerovirment Leaf Charger. Funny my friends with Volts have used my charger.

She did mention that inspections start at the end of August.

 

[mwalsh]

Who at Mitsubishi did you speak with? What EVSE(s) IS it compatible with? Blink?, Coulomb? Where is the list of compatible units? Did you get a home assessment? From who?

The official charger for the "i" is the Eaton.

Our engineer friend at Mitsubishi says: "There are small differences that could make other EVSEs fail to fully charge under unique rare conditions." and "Personally, if I had an EVSE in my garage, I wouldn't buy another. But I would not expect 100% compatibility - I am a bit of a risk taker."

Another question I asked, this time of our marketing friend at Mitsubishi, was if declining to purchase of the official L2 EVSE could be a barrier to "i" ownership. But he's out of the office now until Wednesday, so I don't expect a reply much before then.

 

[cmjars]

I do expect 100% compatibility as there is a standard that they are following called J1772 .

Here is from Eaton's Website:

Using an industry standard J1772 30A or 70A connector, the Level 2 Pow-R-Station will easily fill a depleted all-electric vehicle battery in three to four hours while the owner is working, shopping or sleeping. The Level 2 Pow-R-Station is ideal for residential or commercial EV charging applications.

 

[KeiJidosha]

Thanks cmjars and mwalsh for the info and heads-up. While I’m no fan of the Aerovironment EVSE, it works, has been around for a over a year now, and has a lot of installed base. The AV unit can support 6.6kW charging and the Mitsubishi i only pulls 3.3kW, so this should not be a problem. Incompatibility should not be a surprise to Mitsubishi unless AV has not followed the standard, or has modified their design. The only way to make the pilot signal simpler, is to eliminate it. I can't imagine Mitsubishi putting out a car that is fussy about charging.

 

[cmjars]

Thanks cmjars and mwalsh for the info and heads-up. While I’m no fan of the Aerovironment EVSE, it works, has been around for a over a year now, and has a lot of installed base. The AV unit can support 6.6kW charging and the Mitsubishi i only pulls 3.3kW, so this should not be a problem. Incompatibility should not be a surprise to Mitsubishi unless AV has not followed the standard, or has modified their design. The only way to make the pilot signal simpler, is to eliminate it. I can't imagine Mitsubishi putting out a car that is fussy about charging.

I hope your right. Truth be told I would get a 2nd Leaf but it won't fit in my garage and I have enough room to put a Mitsubishi i in. Mitsubishi looks like a great car.

What do you think about i's front legroom being 33.8 compared to Leaf's 42.1? It does look like the front seats are higher off the floor. Have you been in one?

Thank you for you thoughts

 

[evnow]

I called the main number she put me on hold "said she had to ask her manager" came back and said she was told that the i is not compatible with the Aerovirment Leaf Charger. Funny my friends with Volts have used my charger.

She did mention that inspections start at the end of August.

Make a call to AV and tell them about what Mitsu is saying. I think they need to talk to each other to sort this out.

Will Mitsu charge with public chargers, then ? That would be a good question to the same Manager at Mitsu.

It's like HDMI all over again.

 

[cmjars]

I called the main number she put me on hold "said she had to ask her manager" came back and said she was told that the i is not compatible with the Aerovirment Leaf Charger. Funny my friends with Volts have used my charger.

She did mention that inspections start at the end of August.

Make a call to AV and tell them about what Mitsu is saying. I think they need to talk to each other to sort this out.

Will Mitsu charge with public chargers, then ? That would be a good question to the same Manager at Mitsu.

It's like HDMI all over again.

You couldn't be more right I called AV they said their dock meets all the standards and there is no reason the Mitsubishi i shouldn't be able to use the charger unless Mitsubishi isn't following the standard. It does feel like HDMI again

The manager at Mitsubishi Corparate said they had a leaf there and it wouldn't charge using their L2 EVSE home charging dock.

 

[jhm614]

The official charger for the "i" is the Eaton.

Hey, Eaton "chargers" will work on Nissans too:

(sorry, way off topic but I couldn't resist. That's a polished Eaton supercharger in a 350Z...)

 

[cmjars]

Well here is the latest from Mitsubishi:

"Here are some additional clarification. Only the charging plug design is standardized. How the current is delivered, however, may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Right now the Mitsubishi i is only certified to work with Eaton chargers. The Eaton charger follows our approved method to charge the batteries in the i. Unfortunately because the standard for actual charging isn't set, we cannot guarantee the i will be able to accept other charging infrastructure. This is true of all EVs in the market and coming in the future."

 

[evnow]

Well here is the latest from Mitsubishi:

"Here are some additional clarification. Only the charging plug design is standardized. How the current is delivered, however, may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Right now the Mitsubishi i is only certified to work with Eaton chargers. The Eaton charger follows our approved method to charge the batteries in the i. Unfortunately because the standard for actual charging isn't set, we cannot guarantee the i will be able to accept other charging infrastructure. This is true of all EVs in the market and coming in the future."

That is BS.

Ask them whether i will work with public charging stations setup by Coloumb or Blink. If they can't gaurantee that - I'd not buy an i. Afterall you do want to be able to charge when away from home.

 

[mwalsh]

The manager at Mitsubishi Corparate said they had a leaf there and it wouldn't charge using their L2 EVSE home charging dock.

And so the home charging dock is different from the Eaton L2 they have in the parking lot? Because I'm pretty sure we've successfully charged on it before today.

 

[cmjars]

The manager at Mitsubishi Corparate said they had a leaf there and it wouldn't charge using their L2 EVSE home charging dock.

And so the home charging dock is different from the Eaton L2 they have in the parking lot? Because I'm pretty sure we've successfully charged on it before today.

I guess "i" will find out soon enough. Inspections start in the next few weeks.

 

[mwalsh]

BTW, it was confirmed to me that the L2 dock and the car are treated as entirely separate purchases, so there is no obligation to buy the Eaton dock. And declining to do so won't preclude you from purchasing an "i".

I must admit to finding it a bit perplexing that there wasn't any interest in bringing an "i" over to my house to try it with the AV EVSE. I mean, I'm only 5 miles from Mitsubishi HQ. Now, admittedly, it's probably because they don't have an "i" right now. But they could bring over an iMiev right now, or wait for a demo "i" to arrive.

 

[KeiJidosha]

Well here is the latest from Mitsubishi:

"Here are some additional clarification. Only the charging plug design is standardized. How the current is delivered, however, may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. Right now the Mitsubishi i is only certified to work with Eaton chargers. The Eaton charger follows our approved method to charge the batteries in the i. Unfortunately because the standard for actual charging isn't set, we cannot guarantee the i will be able to accept other charging infrastructure. This is true of all EVs in the market and coming in the future."

Mitsubishi must be talking about the Quick Charge, not L2.

 

[evnow]

Mitsubishi must be talking about the Quick Charge, not L2.

Even that is not correct - didn't Mitsu install a QC recently - which people have used with Leaf ?

In anycase, clearly the questions were around home EVSE, can't be QC.

 

[davewill]

Mitsubishi must be talking about the Quick Charge, not L2.

Nope, because QC is also a standard, and "i" owners are going to expect/demand that the "i" QC works at all the public venues without regard to manufacturer. The Mitsubishi statement is just ignorant FUD designed to keep people from buying anywhere except from their pet supplier.

 

[mwalsh]

MSRP is increased on the i by $1,135 as of today due to "unforeseen changes in market conditions". Quite possibly ¥ vs. $ change.