(April 23, 2011) HONOLULU (PRNewswire) — Mitsubishi says it will launch its electric car, the i Mitsubishi, in  Hawaii. Production of the EV will begin in November.

The small car will be very affordable in Hawaii. Subtracted from the retail price of $27,990 will be a $7,500 federal tax credit and a Hawaii clean energy rebate of $4,500 bringing the car's real cost down to $15,900.

"We thank Mitsubishi Motors for choosing Hawaii as one of the first states to receive the new "i" electric car.  Electric vehicles use a fraction of the fuel needed by traditional cars, so each EV on the road means we're reducing our dependence on imported oil and increasing our ability to reach Hawaii's goal of 70 percent clean energy within a generation," said Estrella Seese, Acting Energy Program Administrator, Hawaii State Energy Office.

The Mitsubishi i will be available for licensed drivers to test drive at Cutter Mitsubishi in Aiea, Hawaii, later this fall.

Mitsubishi anticipates deliveries of 5-doorMitsubishi i to its dealership network in the western United States (specifically Hawaii, California, Oregon, and Washington) in November, with entry into the northeastern market to follow by March 2012 and nationwide availability by the end of 2012.

See MotorwayAmerica story for details on how to pe-order the i Mitsubishi.