The Toyota Prius has lost its crown as the most fuel-efficient vehicle.
When the EPA published the 2012 Annual Fuel Economy Guide that revealed the new fuel economy leader as the all-electric 2012 Mitsubishi i with an official EPA rating of 112 for combined mpg. Of course there’s a footnote explaining that “since electricity is not measured in gallons, a conversion factor is used to translate the fuel economy into miles per gallon of gasoline equivalent (MPGe)”.
To be fair, the EPA also lists the leading conventional vehicles (now including hybrids) in each class where an electric vehicle trounces the opposition. Since the Mitsubishi i is classified as a subcompact, it is the Chevrolet Sonic and Ford Fiesta that are tied in second place with a 33 mpg rating.
A couple of months ago I had the opportunity to test drive a 2012 Mitsubishi i around Portland and I was quite enamored with the i as a city car. As with all all-electric cars maximum torque is available the instant you press the gas pedal, sorry I mean accelerator. This provides a lively performance that makes it feel much faster than a stopwatch might reveal. In fact, without trying too hard, I found myself easily beating other drivers away from traffic lights. Of course, I did not come up against any high performance cars but in regular driving there is nothing wrong with an electric car. In fact there’s a lot to like.
If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area you could get to drive a Mitsubishi i without having to purchase one. Today Mitsubishi Motors North America and San Rafael Mitsubishi made the first fleet delivery of the i to City CarShare, which is a Bay Area nonprofit organization founded in 2001.
The nonprofit says its mission is to promote innovative mobility options to improve the environment and the quality of life in the Bay Area. By providing short-term access to a variety of vehicles, City CarShare says it is reducing traffic congestion, parking problems and dependence on oil while promoting cleaner air and quieter streets. Apart from small economy cars City CarShare also has minivans, trucks and SUVs in its fleet. It’s an interesting concept of car sharing for city dwellers. You can check out the service here: http://www.citycarshare.org
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