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"After last year&amp;#039;s three-month date with a Nissan Leaf, the Mitsubishi i is the second electric vehicle we&amp;#039;ve had for an extended stay at R&amp;amp;amp;T. While both EVs use lithium-ion batteries and are priced similarly ($36,050 for the Nissan; $29,975 for the Mitsubishi), the cars are as different as sak\u00E9 and Asahi Super Dry. For starters, the Mitsu&amp;#039;s 66-hp electric motor and single-speed reduction gearbox drive the rear wheels. (The Leaf is front-wheel drive.) The four-seat i is also 30 inches shorter and seven inches narrower than the five-passenger Nissan. Consequently, the Mitsubishi feels tiny next to the Leaf\u2014 and the latter boasts a larger battery, a more powerful motor, and an EPA-certified 73-mile range that exceeds the i&amp;#039;s 62-mile rating.         2012 Mitsubishi i    As you&amp;#039;d expect, that mileage cap is very limiting. But the Mitsu can\u2014and did\u2014go farther on a single charge, all in the name of attending a housewarming party in downtown Los Angeles. Range anxiety be damned, we took off on a 71-mile round trip, cruising at 55 mph in the slow lane with the air conditioning off. Getting to the bash was no problem; the post-midnight return, however, was a tension-filled exercise in maximizing efficiency\u2014especially after the indicated range on the Mitsubishi&amp;#039;s dashboard dropped to zero almost four miles from home!         2012 Mitsubishi i    Still, the little Mitsu didn&amp;#039;t let us down. It under-promised and over-delivered, a trait we like in all automobiles, but especially EVs. Nor did it give us any mechanical problems during its 3,818-mile stay, excelling as a trouble-free errand runner with a safe travel radius of roughly 25 miles. Our car was equipped with the optional voice-activated, hard-drive-based navigation system, making it a handy commuter\u2014aided by California&amp;#039;s high-occupancy-vehicle (HOV) lane-access stickers, we were routinely able to significantly reduce our evening rush-hour drive time.         2012 Mitsubishi i    Bottom line? If you want an EV and can tolerate homely bodywork, then the Japanese-built i might fit the bill. Yes, the unfavorable yen-dollar relationship means the car is pricey, but there&amp;#039;s an undeniable appeal to knowing that you&amp;#039;ll never again need to visit a gas station. "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.roadandtrack.com/new-cars/road-tests/reviews/a3686/test-car-wrapup-2012-mitsubishi-i/>