Super i-MiEV — The Japanese Car With The Chinese Heart - CleanTechnica

The article discusses Francisco Shi’s innovative project of converting a Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle by replacing its original drivetrain and battery with components from a BYD Atto 3, a Chinese EV. Francisco has upgraded the i-MiEV’s 16 kWh battery to a 30 kWh unit and swapped in the Atto 3’s drive unit, resulting in a car with significantly more power and potentially increased range, though he hasn’t fully tested the latter. The conversion process, which Francisco compares to a backyard petrol engine swap, involves custom brackets and overcoming technical challenges to integrate the new motor and vehicle systems, with about 90% of the work completed. He aims to create a conversion kit for other i-MiEV owners, targeting a price around AU$6,000 for the drive unit. Francisco’s motivation is driven more by passion than financial gain, emphasizing the emotional value of upgrading a beloved car. He notes that second-hand EV prices are approaching the cost of such