Official Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SUV thread

[GRA]

I sat in one of the prototypes at Mitsubishi's annual owners gathering in Normal, IL. It looks like they had to do some creative exhaust re-routing to get it around the battery pack under the floor of the vehicle.

Glad to see they've moved the 'mode' switches away from the on/off switch (unlike the Volt) and put them just aft of the shift lever, where they can be used by feel without looking.

 

[edatoakrun]

Good news on Mitsu USA's financial viability, and further indications the Outlander will finally make here.

Click the link to get some idea of what it may (eventually) look like.

LOS ANGELES – Mitsubishi says it is in the U.S. market for the long haul as it unveils a new plug-in hybrid-electric vehicle concept at the 2014 Los Angeles auto show.

“Our sales are up, we’re profitable and we’re growing,” Don Swearingen, executive vice president-Mitsubishi Motors North America tells media here.

Mitsubishi deliveries in the U.S. have risen 29.8% through October to 64,564 units, making it one of the fastest-growing brands of 2014.

The gain largely is due to the Outlander Sport CUV, up 24.8% and accounting for nearly a third (25,620) of the brand’s volume in the first 10 months.

The concept shown here, the XR PHEV, has design language that will appear on ’16 Mitsubishi CUVs, including a production model debuting at the 2015 New York auto show, which may or may not be the next Outlander Sport CUV.

The next-generation Outlander and an unnamed future Mitsubishi CUV, rumored to be a fullsize CUV, also will wear the XR PHEV’s styling.

Electrification is a key focal point for the brand going forward, with Swearingen telling WardsAuto the discontinued Lancer EVO performance compact will be replaced with something electrified...

http://wardsauto.com/sales-marketing/mitsubishi-reiterates-commitment-us-unveils-phev-concept" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[pkulak]

Anyone know exactly how the Outlander PHEV's transmission works? Is it like the Volt where when it's EV, it's only EV? Or like the plug-in Prius, where the engine comes on for acceleration not matter what?

 

[GRA]

Anyone know exactly how the Outlander PHEV's transmission works? Is it like the Volt where when it's EV, it's only EV? Or like the plug-in Prius, where the engine comes on for acceleration not matter what?

IIRR, they give you modes that amount to EV Now, EV Later, EV Auto and Charge. Here's an English review (scroll down to see report #2): http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/mitsubishi/outlander/87981/long-term-test-review-mitsubishi-outlander-phev" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[cwerdna]

Anyone know exactly how the Outlander PHEV's transmission works? Is it like the Volt where when it's EV, it's only EV? Or like the plug-in Prius, where the engine comes on for acceleration not matter what?

The bolded statement re: the PiP is wrong. For the PiP, when in "EV" mode, the engine only comes on during harder acceleration (the calibration allows for much more aggressive EV only acceleration than the non-Plugin Prius). It also must run if above ~62 mph.

 

[ydnas7]

Anyone know exactly how the Outlander PHEV's transmission works? Is it like the Volt where when it's EV, it's only EV? Or like the plug-in Prius, where the engine comes on for acceleration not matter what?

Mitsubishi (and some new hondas) have the distinctive of not using any power split device (like Toyota, Ford or GM use), (nor is it a hamburger P2 type arrangement (BMW, Hyundai, Nissan). What Mitsubishi has done is simply added a second drive-shaft into the differential.

So the Electric motor is on the axle, and the Combustion Engine also drive the same axle, there is a clutch so the ICE can directly drive the axle, or it can power a generator, or both.

What Mitsubishi left out was varying gears, so BOTH the EV motor and the ICE motor are fixed ratio to the vehicles speed.
repeat, single fixed ratio only.

results
it drives like a good Outlander, better than a 2.4 I4, but not as good as a 3.6 V6
it does not have EV grin for take-off, as the electric motors are geared to run run to high speed
once the electrons are used up, it is strictly series hybrid only at slower speed.

Even though it is strictly series hybrid only at low speed, the ICE motor turns on to assist acceleration, like in a Karma.
on my 10-20min test drive, the ICE motor came on twice, about 2 seconds each time, at two of the more demanding merging intersections, otherwise the motor stayed off for the other intersections etc.
I presume this is reduce the load on the batteries, for increased longevity.

this video is good example of what flooring a outlander phev
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbOmtzFj14M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[pkulak]

Thank you, ydnas7. It's been really hard for me to figure out exactly how that drivetrain works, and that was a really great explanation.

 

[TomT]

Regarding PHEV SUVs, keep your eye on Kia/Hyundai... No, I can't say more.

 

[mwalsh]

Regarding PHEV SUVs, keep your eye on Kia/Hyundai... No, I can't say more.

I take it you were just in Calabasas?

 

[kmp647]

A PHEV from Kia or hyundai is great unless you are on the east coast

they will likely be sold in carb states only

 

[cwerdna]

Five Millionth Car Produced At Mitsubishi’s Okazaki Plant Is Outlander PHEV:
http://insideevs.com/five-millionth-car-produced-at-mitsubishis-okazaki-plant-is-outlander-phev/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Above article also has some sales figures. C'mon Mitsubishi, bring it to the US!

 

[GRA]

At this point, the Outlander is going to be so late that there will be considerable PHEV competition for it. Counting only the cars that will definitely be here, given the choice between it and an A3 e-Tron Sportwagen, I know which I'd choose. And above it in price will be the Cayenne and XC90. If the Golf GTE is brought here that will suck even more customers from the Outlander.

 

[evnow]

At this point, the Outlander is going to be so late that there will be considerable PHEV competition for it. Counting only the cars that will definitely be here, given the choice between it and an A3 e-Tron Sportwagen, I know which I'd choose.

When is A3 e-Tron scheduled for US sales ?

Anyway, I don't think e-Tron and Outlander will have similar utility or price. One of the reasons people want SUVs is because of the height - which wagons don't have.

I'm not aware of any SUV PHEV in Outlander's likely price range that is announced to be released in 2015.

 

[GRA]

At this point, the Outlander is going to be so late that there will be considerable PHEV competition for it. Counting only the cars that will definitely be here, given the choice between it and an A3 e-Tron Sportwagen, I know which I'd choose.

When is A3 e-Tron scheduled for US sales ?

Anyway, I don't think e-Tron and Outlander will have similar utility or price. One of the reasons people want SUVs is because of the height - which wagons don't have.

I'm not aware of any SUV PHEV in Outlander's likely price range that is announced to be released in 2015.

A quick google turned up this ievs article from a year ago, which says 'early 2015' for the U.S. http://insideevs.com/audi-confirms-early-2015-launch-of-a3-sportback-e-tron-plug-in-hybrid-in-us/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; Car and Driver said summer 2015.

We still don't know what it will cost, although it will undoubtedly be less than the price in Germany quoted in the article; C&D suggest it might be around $40k, but that's a pure guesstimate. The most recent arrival I've seen for the Outlander is late November see http://www.autoblog.com/2014/07/08/2016-mitsubishi-outlander-phev-us-will-be-completely-different/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; . AFAIK pricing for the Outlander here is equally vague.

As to which will be preferred, the people who want better performance/handling/mpg and don't need the space will opt for the Audi, and those who want more utility will opt for the Outlander. Whereas, if the car had been available here a year ago, it would have taken both groups of customers (other than those who are willing to wait).

 

[mwalsh]

"NO MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV FOR YOU!"

Until Q2, 2016, that is. :shock:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1096496_mitsubishi-outlander-plug-in-hybrid-on-sale-in-q2-of-2016-now" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Deleted member 770]

"NO MITSUBISHI OUTLANDER PHEV FOR YOU!"

Pffftttt!!!! :x

You may see me at a Tesla dealership in the near future. Mitsu had their chance, and they've blown it - badly!

 

[pkulak]

Yeah, if it's that late, who cares. The Bolt will be out by then (which I'd rather have anyway) along with the new Leaf (which I'd also probably rather own) and who knows what kind of plug-in SUVs from Korea.

The Outlander looks like a great vehicle, but I'm still an EV purist at heart. I'd replace my current Leaf with the Outlander PHEV if I could do it now, but if I have a bunch of 200-mile EV options; no way.

 

[Stanton]

I never paid any attention to this thread until a Mits dealer brought a "demo" version of this car to our NTEAA meeting last weekend. Looked like a pretty "polished" car for something he said wouldn't even be available for > 1 year, and now I guess I know why. He asking for comments/critiques, but at this point I think the best one would have been "what's taking you so long"?! I was so unimpressed with the iMiev that I had stopped noticing Mits on the EV front.

 

[pkulak]

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/02/12/mitsubishi-expects-4000-outlander-phev-sales/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Looks like they are pretty confident about April of next year. And they only expect to sell 4000 a year! Even if they only sell in California there's no way they sell that few. Unless they raise the price substantially, I guess.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

http://www.autoblog.com/2015/02/12/mitsubishi-expects-4000-outlander-phev-sales/

Looks like they are pretty confident about April of next year. And they only expect to sell 4000 a year! Even if they only sell in California there's no way they sell that few. Unless they raise the price substantially, I guess.

They haven't brought the car to the US since they are production limited and get a better bang for their buck elsewhere (thanks in part to a strong dollar). If they remain production limited, then they will easily sell that few. What they should say is that the expect to import 4000 a year.