While we've seen design sketches as early as March, it's only now that Mitsubishi revealed what the real deal would look like. Classifying the i-MiEV Evo as a “heavily-modified version” of its production counterpart is still a bit of an understatement. For starters, it's only got two doors and is just big enough to fit the driver. It has also been fitted with ultra-wide wheel arches, a huge rear spoiler, and a roll cage just in case... ahem... something bad happens. Measuring at 4.34 meters long, 1.9 meters wide, and 1.3 meters tall, it's actually longer, wider, and lower than the road-going i-MiEV. Basically, it's an i-MiEV on steroids and then some.
The i-MiEV Evolution shares the same motor, drive battery, and other major components with its production counterpart. But to cope with the challenges of Pikes Peak, they've souped-up the drivetrain and modified it as an all-wheel-drive. And driving duties of this beast belongs to none other than two-time Dakar Rally winner, Hiroshi Masuoka.
This prototype has been developed specifically to showcase what MMC has achieved in terms of their advanced EV control and EV component technologies. Their R&D team will be using all the information gathered from the i-MiEV Evolution's excursion in Pikes Peak for the development of future EV's. Just don't be too hopeful thought that they'll build a road-legal version of this electric-powered bullet.
