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Like we've said, Japanese buyers love vans. Scheduled to debut in Tokyo, the Mitsubishi i MiEV Cargo is based on the i car, the tiny but neatly packaged, rear-drive, rear-engine, 4-passenger car that Mitsubishi offers in the kei class. The i MiEV is the electric version of the i car, which we've driven. It's already in production in Japan, and Mitsubishi announced at this year's New York Auto Show that it plans to bring it to the U.S. as well. (We'll have to wait and see on that one.)


So the i MiEV Cargo is the cargo van version of the i MiEV evidently aimed at contractors with a green conscience. Or, perhaps, contractors wanting a tax break. It's the same idea (only smaller) as the electric Transit Connect that Ford is preparing, and claimed range is similar: 100 miles.


We rather like the camper-conversion-like appearance of the i MiEV Cargo, and by Mitsubishi's measurements, it offers over 60 cubic feet of cargo space -- quite a lot for a van that's only 134 inches long and 58 inches wide and laden with lithium-ion batteries. For perspective, the i MiEV Cargo has the same wheelbase as a U.S.-spec Nissan Cube but is about 20 inches shorter and 9 inches narrower.


The i MiEV Cargo's rear-drive electric motor is good for a claimed 63 horsepower and 133 pound-feet of torque.


More photos after the jump.


First Drive: 2010 Mitsubishi i MiEV
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Tags: Concept Vehicles, Green Tech, Minivans, Mitsubishi, Tokyo Motor Show, mitsubishi electric vehicle, mitsubishi i car, mitsubishi i miev, mitsubishi i miev cargo, mitsubishi plug in hybrid, tokyo auto show

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Tokyo Preview: Mitsubishi i MiEV Cargo was originally published by Straightline. Read the full story by clicking here.