Mitsubishi Motors announced that its heavily anticipated i-MiEV electric car will begin being leased to corporate and government customers in Japan in July. Individuals who want to purchase the EVs will have to wait until next April, when it will sell for a suggested $45,000 U.S. (before taxes).

The all-electric vehicle will have 100 mile range using lithium ion batteries. The i-MiEV will have an onboard charger so that it can charge into standard outlets in Japan (100 or 200 volt). Charge times to replenish the 16 kWh battery pack will be 7-14 hours, although Mitsubishi is developing fast charging stations that will take just half an hour.

To increase its green credibility beyond being a zero-emissions vehicle, Mitsubishi is using bamboo fibers in the plastic of the interior tail light trim, which the company says cuts the CO2 footprint by 10 percent when compared to standard polypropylene.

Mitsubishi has been stoking demand for the EVs around the world by selecting cities as their first international locations for field tests. Vancouver B.C., Portland and the Principality of Monaco will all receive early i-MiEVs to evaluate their suitability outside of Japan.

Mitsubishi will be among the first large-scale automotive OEMs to sell an EV in more than a decade. Subaru announced it would begin selling the Stella EV in Japan in July at a comparable price as well, though its range is limited to 62 miles.

Drafting behind Mitsubishi with all electric vehicles will be Toyota, and Nissan, which has powerful partners in Renault and charging station vendor Better Place.