Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) announced that it has delivered the first fifty i-MiEV new-generation electric vehicles (EV) out of 507 units scheduled to be provided to the Estonian government. These first fifty i-MiEVs mark the beginning of delivery of the largest single order ever taken to date for the i-MiEV. On October 21 a ceremony was held in Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, for the delivery of the i-MiEVs where Mr. Andrus Ansip, the Prime Minister of Estonia and other Estonian governmental officials attended.
The provision of 507 i-MiEVs to the Estonian government was concluded between Mitsubishi Corporation and the Estonian government this past March as a part of an agreement to purchase 10 million tons of emissions rights*1. MMC plans to complete shipment of the entire order to Estonia by the end of the 2011 fiscal year.
The Estonian government plans to use thei-MiEVs in public facilities (in the field of social welfare) as part of its policy to popularize electric vehicles nationwide, hoping to reduce CO2 emissions in the country. In addition, the Estonian government has already introduced subsidies for EV purchases and plans to set up charging infrastructure. MMC will work to popularize EVs in Estonia by providing technical support to the Estonian government in monitoring CO2 reductions and planning to start sales of the i-MiEV to the public in Estonia this coming November.
MMC is currently selling the i-MiEV in many countries and regions all over the world, including Japan, Europe, Hong Kong, Australia, and will start sales of the i-MiEV in the United States and Canada within the year. In addition to Estonia, MMC is collaborating with other countries like the Principality of Monaco, Iceland, Denmark, Singapore, Thailand, and others in their efforts to popularize EVs.
*1: The agreement between Mitsubishi Corporation and the Estonian government to purchase 10 million tons of emissions rights was concluded in March, 2011. The Estonian government plans to usei-MiEVs in public facilities as part of its policy to popularize electric vehicles throughout country utilizing the Green Investment Scheme*2 under the Kyoto Protocol.
*2: The Green Investment Scheme (GIS) is a type of international emission trading pursuant to Article 17 of the Kyoto Protocol, whose proceeds are to be used for environmental measures including GHG emission reductions.
