(April 22, 2011) NEW YORK (PRNewswire) — Mitsubishi Motors North America today announced the starting price of its i Mitsubishi electric car will be $20,490 for the ES trim level not including destination charge after applying a $7,500 federal tax credit.

The car will be available of pre-order beginning Friday, April 22.

An upgraded SE trim includes a 360-watt, 8 speaker sound system, leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob, upgraded seating material with silver interior accents, two-tone interior I/P and door panels, 15-inch alloy wheels, and fog lamps  for $22,490.

A factory SE premium package is also available for an additional $2,790 and includes a DC quick charging port for ultra-fast Level 3 battery recharging (80 percent full in only 30 minutes),  HDD navigation system with rearview camera, FUSE Hands-free Link with USB port and steering wheel-mounted audio controls.

Mitsubishi has set up a four-step pre-order procedure. For the first 2,000 who place a pre-order and take possession of the Mitsubishi i, a $100 home electrical inspection fee will be waived.

The i Mitsubishi is powered by a 63-horsepower electric motor with 133 foot-pounds of available torque. It is light weight at 2,376 pounds, which is beneficial to initial acceleration. Top speed has been set at 80 mph.

Mitsubishi has set the range at between 80 and 100 miles per charge, but some American testers have found a "real world" range of around 60 miles.

To pre-order follow these steps:

Step 1: Visit i.mitsubishicars.com beginning on April 22 and create a Mitsubishi i account which includes your "My Mitsubishi i" page. Users can then check the order status of their vehicle and receive the latest news and information on the Mitsubishi i. You'll also be able to select your vehicle's color and trim package. 

Step 2: Place a refundable deposit of $299 via PayPal, plus $99.99 for the required home electrical inspection.

Step 3: Schedule an inspection of your home's electrical system performed by affiliated trained experts to make sure that it can efficiently charge your car.

Step 4: As the anticipated delivery date for your vehicle approaches, a Mitsubishi representative will contact you to confirm your vehicle's features and color choice, along with confirming your final sales price. Your $299 deposit will be applied to the final price at that time.