GRA
Well-known member
A bigger pack would eat into cargo/pax space, and that's exactly what people who want/need an SUV/CUV don't want. As to the lack of a third row seat, it's a question of batteries, batteries, batteries - that's where they are. Personally, I have absolutely no need or desire for a third row of seats, nor do many other people who'd be interested in this vehicle (in the 13+ years I've owned my Forester, I can count on my fingers, with one or two left over, the number of times I've had anyone in any back seat. The number of times that it was essential that I do so can be counted on the fingers on one hand, again with one or two spare).jjeff said:^^^ they say it's tailored for the US market but if so then why the heck wouldn't they do as the Volt has done and Pacifica will be doing, instead of making the battery pack 12Kwh upgrade it to 16Kwh for the the maximum rebate :roll: doesn't sound like they really know what the US market is doing.....
22 ish mile range personally I won't be interested unless it could make the magic 30, which could probably be done if they'd opt for the 16 instead of 12....
The lack of a third row is also short sited, I mean it wouldn't have to fold flat(like the Pacifica is doing) but to remain competitive I'd think it should really have the 3rd row as an option, another thing telling me Mitsubishi is clueless AFA the American market.....the way Mitsubishi is going with the delays they'll be lucky to have it out before they bail on the US market for good......
For me, 20 miles or more of AER is a reasonable compromise given current battery pack bulk and cost, as it will cover at least 50% of all U.S. drivers daily range needs, keeps the vehicle price/weight down, doesn't seriously compromise space (unlike e.g. the doubled battery pack on the new Prius Prime aka PiP, which eats up several inches of height in the cargo area ala' the C-Max Energi), and can be fully charged overnight on a 120V circuit (which also keeps the cost down and eliminates the potential hassle of needing wiring modifications). I'd be perfectly happy if GM were to build a Voltec CUV with half the battery pack/AER of either the first or second gen Volts, if it meant that they would have a true five seats (important for some if not me), and would keep the cost down. The lower the cost, the more people can afford these cars, and the more that will be out there for people to experience and then sell on into the used market, where people who could otherwise never afford any type of PEV may be able to consider them.