Why the Comparison
Electric drivetrains and bantam hatchbacks always had a special kind of affiliation between themselves. Taking that into account both of the electric hatchbacks pictured above are sprightly in their demeanor, spatially tailored made for dealing with city traffic and are of course adamantly low emission in nature. Though, it should be duly noted that Smart Forvision can be considered as the spiritual successor to their renowned Fortwo, and it is still in its ‘glossy’ conceptual stage. While the Mitsubishi i MiEV was launched back in 2009 (at least for fleet customers) and since then has won a myriad of awards for its imbibed advanced technology.
Smart Forvision
The Green Side
Since the vehicle is in its conceptual stage, we cannot bombard you with solid figures regarding its performance or speed. Though, what we know is that in a uniquely innovative move, Smart has decided to use an ultra-lightweight carbon-fiber-reinforced epoxy resin for the car body that can reduce the overall weight by 50%. Even the metallic paintwork will be energy efficient, as it is touted reflect heat and keep the interiors cooler by 20º. Coming to real ‘green’ quality, the roofing will be embedded with translucent solar cells, while its efficacious electric set-up will provide a range of up to 110 miles (176 km).
The Dark Side
The same predicaments that plague a plethora of other concepts. The transition from good ‘paper performance’ to real on-road capability is not always smooth. So beyond the glimmering visual reverie, we have to wait for its intrinsic performance on the congested and nigh ruthless urban streets. Moreover, from the renders, it can be presumed that the passenger capacity will only be limited to two.
Mitsubishi i MiEV
The Green Side
With its four passengers capacity, this convenient five door hatchback from the fifth largest Japan based automaker has some seriously green credentials. The electric drive train consists of a 47 kW (63 hp) permanent magnet motor, powered by 16 kWh of lithium ion battery pack. The advanced set-up can push the petite vehicle to a substantial top speed of 80 mph (130 km/h), which is more in-sync with its gas guzzling cousins. Coming to efficiency, EPA has actually rated the combined fuel economy of i MiEV to 112 MPGe (2.1 L/100 km), which is actually higher than the renowned Nissan Leaf (which has 99 MPGe as combined fuel economy). At last but not the least, the charging method for the hatchback has also being made easy with a requirement of a 240 V domestic socket and a time period of just 6 hours.
In another ingenious yet conscientious move, Mitsubishi has envisaged a proposal in which the car can literally supply power to a house. According to the company, the sturdy 16 kWh lithium ion battery pack can provide uninterrupted power to a conventional Japanese household for almost one and a half days. The specially made device will incorporate a 100 volt AC outlet capable of delivering up to 15 amps, and it would be more than enough to juice up relatively large appliances, such as washing machines.
The Dark Side
The Mitsubishi i MiEV has been criticized for its lack of substantial luggage space and its relatively high pricing. Being environment friendly is all well and good, but for the average customer, it should not come with a severe strain on their pockets. The entry level model in US comes with a price tag of $27,990 plus the destination charge. Moreover, due to its compact battery pack, the i MiEV has a lesser range of 100 miles (160 km), especially in comparison to Leaf.
The Verdict
The Smart Forvision ‘concept’ comes with a plethora of novel features such as split-spoke plastic wheels, ultra-light carbon reinforced body and even solar roofing. Though, we are still not sure of their degree of practical relevance, especially in an urban context. On the other hand, the Mitsubishi i MiEV has been there for over 2 years, and displayed some pretty exceptional performance angles. So, at the end of the day we would rather stick with the i MiEV until the Forvision surprises us with its full fledged commercial ascension.
