Yes, of course. First, there were a lot of technical problems. Unless the electric vehicle can run in a certain cruising range while maintaining a packaging as a vehicle, it is useless as a vehicle. Our biggest concern was how we could extend the cruising range in an era of using the lead-battery or the nickel-hydrogen battery. Therefore, I was very happy in December 1999 when we could drive in the distance of more than 2000km for 24 hours by repetitively charging and driving a vehicle with the lithium-ion battery installed.
Our company's situation or environment at that time was not smooth. Mitsubishi Motors had recall trouble and other problems in the past. Then, we went into the control of DaimlerChrysler group to turn our business around. Actually, we had continued the development of electric vehicles even under the control of DaimlerChrysler group, but it was very hard to do on our own way.
That's not all. In 2004, when Mitsubishi Motor separated from the control of DaimlerChrysler group and then stood on the road toward surviving on our own, we announced we decided to take our way with a corporate keyword of “Sports DNA (Lancer Evolution)” and “SUV DNA (Pajero)”.
These are Mitsubishi Motors' characteristic cars, but we cannot step forward in the environmental problems along with two cars only, and cannot also send our positive message for global warming or departure from dependence on oil. Then, our members in charge of the development of electric vehicles thought a further step forward was an electric vehicle.
We then thought it's necessary to deliver a more environmentally-focused vehicle, looking ahead of the times. Therefore, we felt sure Mitsubishi Motors' future lies only when we would promote the development of electric vehicles as an environmentally-focused vehicle and aim at a leading company of electric vehicles. However, it was actually not so easy to turn around in-house environment. When our intention of promoting the development of electric vehicles was announced in-house, we were in complete confusion, there were arguments for and against the development of electric vehicles, a lot of people said, “Why is an electric vehicle needed for us?”
The biggest difficulty for mass-production is to use parts which had not been used for conventional vehicles. For example, the large-size lithium-ion battery has not been used for conventional vehicles, and the on-board battery charger also has not been used before. Therefore, the quality fine tuning of parts has become necessary to meet automotive mass-production quality, and then we have discussed and tuned qualities together with suppliers. Actually, there wasn't even mass-production line of parts for electric vehicles at that time, so we also have built the production facilities.
Yes, I think the maturing of user interface is necessary, in a sense. Electric vehicles don't need to start engine, so it is difficult to feel “Condition of ready to go” unlike the gasoline-powered vehicle. So, the mass-production i-MiEV sounds “pop” to inform the stand-by status at the same time when the “READY” lamp comes on.
On the other hand, some people also say they feel uneasy because the cruising-range is not so long. Therefore, the i-MiEV equips a cruising range meter which digitally displays a running-possible range. In addition, in response to user's voice of “it is difficult to see how much the battery has been charged during charging”, the drive battery residual charge indicator functions operating during charging. So the commercially available model of the i-MiEV is very easy to handle.
The i-MiEV is the Japan's first mass-production electric vehicle. Therefore, the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has proceeded with the homologation work of the i-MiEV while checking whether the same homologation requirements as those of the conventional gasoline-powered vehicles are acceptable or not. As a matter of fact, it took more time and effort compared to conventional gasoline-powered vehicles.
Yes, very many times, No, that's not so! (smiling). As the i-MiEV project was my first engagement in the development for mass-production, I could study a lot about how to handle and proceed with the development work. On the other hand, the full-scale mass-production of electric vehicles was the first thing for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport and suppliers, as well as for Mitsubishi Motors. Frankly speaking, I had the pleasure of clearing the path for the future, in a sense, and found it a very interesting challenge.
