Mitsubishi i-MIEV electric cars assist relief efforts after March earthquake and tsunami

The earthquake that hit the north east of Japan in March caused unimaginable devastation and suffering. Only recently have relief efforts begun to give way to recovery and rebuilding - and electric vehicles are playing a major part.

After the earthquake road vehicle fuel quickly became scarce. By contrast electricity supplies were soon restored to many of the devastated areas - making electric vehicles ideal for distributing food and supplies to refugee centres. Mitsubishi provided dozens of i-MIEV electric vehicles, 34 going to Myagi, 33 to Fukushima and 18 to Iwate.

“If we hadn’t received the cars, it would have been very difficult to do what we needed to,” said Tetsuo Ishii, a division chief in the environmental department in Sendai, in an interview with New York times reporter Ken Belson.

The i-MIEVs were driven up to 45 miles a day, well within their theoretical range, and were recharged overnight. “One charge is perfect for us, because it allows us to drive around during the day with no trouble,” said Mr. Ishii.

In a New York Times blog, Belson said the use of EVs in the aftermath of the earthquake - Nissan Leafs as well as Mitsubishi i-MIEVs - may help improve their image: “Their utility and durability on the streets of Sendai and other cities may help convince skeptical consumers that the cars are more than electric toys for the environmentally minded.”

Ironically, it has been more difficult to use electric vehicles in Tokyo thanks to a programme of planned electricity blackouts - an emergency power-saving measure brought in after the shutdown of the Fukushima power stations.