Which Mitsubishi i-MiEV version to buy: 10.5 kWh vs 16 kWh vs AT
If you are choosing a Mitsubishi i-MiEV rather than reading a first-look overview, the choice is three named versions: 10.5 kWh, 16 kWh, and AT. All three are Mini 5-doors electric cars with Automatic gearbox and RWD. The first two ran from 2009-02-01 to 2018-03-31. AT is the restyling of that same generation from 2018-04-01, with no stop date in the data.
Which Mitsubishi i-MiEV version to buy: 10.5 kWh vs 16 kWh vs AT
If you are choosing a Mitsubishi i-MiEV rather than reading a first-look overview, the choice is three named versions: 10.5 kWh, 16 kWh, and AT. All three are Mini 5-doors electric cars with Automatic gearbox and RWD. The first two ran from 2009-02-01 to 2018-03-31. AT is the restyling of that same generation from 2018-04-01, with no stop date in the data. There is no displacement figure on any version, so power-per-litre is not measured. What you can compare is horsepower, kilowatts, torque, top speed, 0–100, weight, ground clearance, CO2, and the change in rear suspension after the restyling.
Mitsubishi i-MiEV versions and generations compared
The catalogue lists two generation keys, but they are one generation plus restyling 1, not two separate model lines. Body type is Mini 5-doors on every version.
1 generation (2009-02-01 to 2018-03-31) has two versions: 10.5 kWh and 16 kWh.
1 generation, restyling 1 (from 2018-04-01) has one version: AT.
Buyers searching Mitsubishi i-MiEV SE, ES, 2012 / 2014 / 2016 / 2017 specs, Minicab MiEV, charging time, battery upgrade, or Nissan Leaf comparisons will not find those trim names, years-as-separate-models, or rival figures here. The measured split is battery-labelled power on the first generation and a one-horsepower step plus a chassis change on AT.
Engine, motor, battery specs: 10.5 kWh, 16 kWh, AT
All three versions use Electro fuel and an Electro motor. Cylinders, cylinder layout, valves per cylinder, boost, engine location, and displacement are not measured on 10.5 kWh, 16 kWh, and AT. Gearbox is Automatic on all three; 10.5 kWh and 16 kWh are listed with 1 speed; speeds on AT are not measured. Drive is RWD on all three.
| Version | hp | kW | rpm (power) | Nm | rpm (torque) | Displacement | Fuel | Cylinders | Layout | Boost | Gearbox | Drive |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10.5 kWh | 41 | 30 | not measured | not measured | not measured | not measured | Electro | not measured | not measured | not measured | Automatic (1) | RWD |
| 16 kWh | 66 | 48 | 8000 | 180 | 2000 | not measured | Electro | not measured | not measured | not measured | Automatic (1) | RWD |
| AT | 67 | 49 | not measured | 180 | not measured | not measured | Electro | not measured | not measured | not measured | Automatic | RWD |
16 kWh versus 10.5 kWh: 66 hp against 41 hp is +25 hp, about 61% more peak power. In kilowatts that is 48 kW against 30 kW, +18 kW. Torque on 10.5 kWh is not measured, so you cannot score newton-metres against 16 kWh’s 180 Nm at 2000. Power on 16 kWh is quoted at 8000 rpm; 10.5 kWh has no rpm figure.
AT versus 16 kWh: 67 hp against 66 hp is +1 hp; 49 kW against 48 kW is +1 kW. Torque is 180 Nm on both. Peak-power rpm and torque rpm are not measured on AT, so you cannot say the restyling motor spins at the same 8000 / 2000 points as 16 kWh.
AT versus 10.5 kWh: 67 hp against 41 hp is +26 hp, about 63% more; 49 kW against 30 kW is +19 kW. Torque remains 180 Nm on AT and not measured on 10.5 kWh.
Battery capacity as a kWh figure appears only in the names 10.5 kWh and 16 kWh (16 − 10.5 = 5.5 kWh in the labels). AT does not carry a kWh label in the data. Battery weight, replacement cost, charging time, and range are not measured on any version.
Performance, top speed, mpg: which i-MiEV is quicker
0–100 km/h is measured only on AT: 9.5 seconds. For 10.5 kWh and 16 kWh, 0–100 is not measured. You cannot rank the two first-generation motors on a sprint number.
Top speed:
- 10.5 kWh: 120 km/h
- 16 kWh: 130 km/h (+10 km/h versus 10.5 kWh)
- AT: 130 km/h (same as 16 kWh, +10 km/h versus 10.5 kWh)
City, highway, and combined consumption are not measured on 10.5 kWh, 16 kWh, or AT. Mitsubishi i-MiEV mpg and gas mileage are therefore not measured. CO2 is 0 on 10.5 kWh and 16 kWh, and not measured on AT. Eco class is not measured on all three.
If the buying question is “which is the fastest in the data,” 16 kWh and AT share 130 km/h; 10.5 kWh is 10 km/h lower. If the question is “which has a timed 0–100,” only AT answers, at 9.5 seconds.
Dimensions, weight, ground clearance
Kerb and gross weight are measured only on the 2009–2018 pair:
- 10.5 kWh: kerb 1110 kg, gross 1450 kg (payload window 1450 − 1110 = 340 kg)
- 16 kWh: kerb 1110 kg, gross 1450 kg (same 340 kg window)
- AT: kerb not measured, gross not measured
Weight per horsepower on the measured kerb mass:
- 10.5 kWh: 1110 / 41 ≈ 27.1 kg per hp
- 16 kWh: 1110 / 66 ≈ 16.8 kg per hp (about 10.3 kg per hp lighter than 10.5 kWh at the same 1110 kg)
- AT: not measured (no kerb mass)
16 kWh and 10.5 kWh do not differ by mass in this dataset; the extra 25 hp on 16 kWh is not bought with extra listed kerb weight. Battery weight as a separate figure is not measured.
Ground clearance is 150 mm on 10.5 kWh, 16 kWh, and AT. Wheel sizes are not measured. Fuel tank is not measured (Electro). Overall length, width, height, and 2012 dimension searches are not measured.
Chassis that does change with the restyling:
- Front suspension: Independent, spring on all three.
- Rear suspension: Independent, spring on 10.5 kWh and 16 kWh; Dependent, spring on AT.
- Front brakes: Ventilated disc on all three.
- Rear brakes: Drum on all three.
The restyling does not add a second listed body type. What it changes in the measured chassis is the rear axle: independent on the two 2009–2018 versions, dependent on AT.
Which version to choose
Choose 10.5 kWh if you want the first-generation Mini 5-doors with the lowest listed output: 41 hp / 30 kW, Automatic 1-speed, RWD, top speed 120 km/h, kerb 1110 kg, gross 1450 kg, CO2 0, Independent, spring at both ends, Ventilated disc front, Drum rear, 150 mm clearance. You accept that torque, 0–100, consumption, wheels, and tank are not measured, and that you give up 25 hp, 18 kW, and 10 km/h versus 16 kWh at the same 1110 kg.
Choose 16 kWh if the numbers that matter are peak power and top speed on the original generation without the 2018 rear-axle change. You get 66 hp / 48 kW at 8000 rpm, 180 Nm at 2000, 130 km/h, the same 1110 / 1450 kg as 10.5 kWh, CO2 0, and Independent, spring rear. Versus 10.5 kWh that is +25 hp and +10 km/h at 0 kg extra kerb in the data, and ≈16.8 kg/hp instead of ≈27.1. Versus AT you give up 1 hp / 1 kW and the only measured 0–100 (9.5 s), and you keep independent rear suspension and a published 8000 / 2000 rpm pair that AT does not list.
Choose AT if you want the restyling from 2018-04-01: 67 hp / 49 kW, 180 Nm, Automatic, RWD, 130 km/h, 0–100 in 9.5 s, 150 mm clearance, Independent, spring front, Dependent, spring rear, Ventilated disc / Drum. Versus 16 kWh the motor step is +1 hp and +1 kW at the same 180 Nm and the same 130 km/h; the structural step is independent rear to dependent rear. Versus 10.5 kWh it is +26 hp, +19 kW, +10 km/h, plus the only sprint time in the set. What you do not get in the data is kerb weight, gross weight, CO2, rpm, gear count, consumption, wheels, or tank — all not measured on AT.
There is no MSRP, used-price, or “what the extra money buys” in currency. The extra in the numbers is 25 hp and 10 km/h from 10.5 kWh to 16 kWh at equal 1110 kg; then 1 hp, a 9.5 s 0–100, and a dependent rear axle from 16 kWh to AT, with weight on AT not measured. Engine-swap searches have no swap data here: the three motors are the three listed versions, all Electro, all RWD Automatic.
Short ranking on measured fields only
- Most hp / kW: AT (67 / 49), then 16 kWh (66 / 48), then 10.5 kWh (41 / 30).
- Highest listed top speed: 16 kWh and AT (130), ahead of 10.5 kWh (120).
- Only timed 0–100: AT (9.5 s).
- Lowest kg per hp among versions with kerb mass: 16 kWh (≈16.8), then 10.5 kWh (≈27.1); AT not measured.
- Independent rear: 10.5 kWh and 16 kWh. Dependent rear: AT.
- CO2 listed as 0: 10.5 kWh and 16 kWh; AT not measured.
If you need the independent rear, the 8000 rpm power point, 180 Nm at 2000, 130 km/h, and 1110 kg kerb together, 16 kWh is the only row that holds all of those at once. If you need the restyling motor and the only 0–100 figure, AT. If you need the lightest power rating and the 120 km/h cap on the same 1110 kg Mini 5-doors, 10.5 kWh.