Official Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SUV thread

[ht2]

Mitsubishi will display new PHEV concept cars in Tokyo Motor show.
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/jp/events/motorshow/2013/tms2013/lineup/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Bigger one looks like 7 seater.

 

[hill]

One of their head auto testers periodically does interviews on our local radio station. Being a died-in-the-wool self proclaimed motorhead, their stance of plug-in's ought to enable the relevancy to become quite clear - regardless of whether they take - or ever take advertising.
That said, many of us here bought our super-early Rev 1 Leafs whether or not they'd come with warts. Well there were plenty. I'd expect Mitsu's plugin SUV (PIS? :lol: ) to be no different. So - when it gets to the U.S. a bit late ... all the better. I look at that time as the time they used to apply wart remover.

Considering that they do not take advertising of any kind, I fail to see the relevancy... Plus, there are a number of fuel-efficient vehicles that they have liked... So, I have to call foul on this comment.

Not exactly a glowing review of the ICE version of the 2014 Outlander in the latest edition of Consumer Reports. I think they gave it a 58 overall score.

Big Deal ... they hate the Leaf & the Prius. They know what side of the bread that the butter is on for them. It ain't fuel efficient vehicles of any kind - unless it's the Tesla.

 

[mwalsh]

^ I feel the LEAF came with one big ugly wart in the battery pack. The kind with a wiry hair sticking out of it. Anything else wrong with the car is a pimple compared to that. Fix the premature degradation and the LEAF is a very, very good car. IMHO.

 

[ColumbiaRiverGorge]

My friend in Holland just took delivery of a 4wd outlander PHEV. He said that 10, 000 were ordered in Holland with strong government incentives on the pricing. Only 8, 000 will arrive In time for the Incentives. He is reporting 25 miles of electric range. He said that Japan is the only other place you can get them.

 

[Berlino]

He said that 10, 000 were ordered in Holland with strong government incentives on the pricing.

That's a huge number for a population of about 17 million. How are other models of EVs/PHEVs selling there?

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

saw the car up close including some cut away views of the power train and have to say I was a bit surprised at the size of the vehicle. it was huge. as always, it will come down to the numbers. they were shooting for 40 Km EV range. that would be very nice but with a 12 KW battery, shouldnt be much of a challenge at least during Summer

 

[edatoakrun]

Sounds like the USA has at least another year to wait.

TOKYO -- Mitsubishi Motors Corp. has delayed the U.S. launch of its Outlander plug-in hybrid until 2015, two years after its global debut, because of bottlenecks in battery production.

The company is ramping up battery supply, but it won't be enough to start U.S. deliveries of the electrified crossover next year as planned.

Mitsubishi President Osamu Masuko said the problem is tight capacity at its main battery supplier, Lithium Energy Japan...

Mitsubishi now can get 4,000 plug-in battery packs a month and expects that to increase to 5,000 a month in April, when LEJ expands capacity again...


The gasoline version of the Outlander arrived in the United States in July.

The hybrid variant, which hit showrooms in Japan last January, is a key element of Mitsubishi's effort to rebrand itself as a leader in electrified drivetrains. Adding sales in the United States would help drive volume and reduce costs, while giving U.S. Mitsubishi dealers a badly needed addition to a thin lineup.

Mitsubishi has sold 11,300 plug-in Outlanders globally since January: 8,100 in Japan and 3,200 in Europe. That compares with 74,400 gasoline versions sold worldwide...

Mitsubishi needs to ramp up battery sourcing quickly.

Under a three-year business plan unveiled last month, Masuko aims to add plug-in variants of the Outlander Sport compact crossover and Pajero SUV by the spring of 2017.

Mitsubishi has not said where it will get those batteries. But a spokesman said the company is open to expanding its supply base beyond LEJ.

The company currently gets a limited supply of lithium ion battery packs from Toshiba Corp. that are used in a low-trim version of the i-MiEV electric car sold in Japan.

Last month Mitsubishi also signed a deal with the Nissan-Renault Alliance to cooperate on developing a future compact EV and electrified drivetrain technologies.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/article/20131229/OEM06/312309967/battery-bottlenecks-delay-mitsubishi-plug-in-hybrid-launch#ixzz2oybCvOe9" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/12/30/mitsubishi-outlander-phev-us-launch-delayed-over-battery-shortag/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[TomT]

By then it will likely be too late. It will be a design that is already nearing cycle refresh, in a market that will then have lots of competition.

Sounds like the USA has at least another year to wait.
/

 

[evnow]

By then it will likely be too late. It will be a design that is already nearing cycle refresh, in a market that will then have lots of competition.

Like what ?

No SUV PHEV has even been announced ...

 

[TomT]

^^^ Just wait he says, holding up the NDA... And even that assumes that the Mit doesn't get delayed yet again...

No SUV PHEV has even been announced ...

 

[evnow]

^^^ Just wait he says, holding up the NDA... And even that assumes that the Mit doesn't get delayed yet again...

No SUV PHEV has even been announced ...

NDA ? Sounds interesting.

In general, though, I agree that Mitsu should not delay the introduction. They could get hammered the same way their little I-MiEV was completely outdone by Leaf. If they had come to market a year earlier than Leaf, they would have sold a decent number of i's.

 

[GIBBER]

Several corporate use demo vehicles have showed up at MMNA's HQ. It is a very nice looking vehicle in person and seems to have good room inside. Mitsubishi dealers must be going nuts having to wait another year.

 

[LeftieBiker]

It's a shame Toyota is so anti-EV. Otherwise they could have a PHEV version of the Prius V available at the same time in the US as the Outlander PHEV. It would have less range but a 60+MPG minivan would certainly compete with it.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

It's a shame Toyota is so anti-EV. Otherwise they could have a PHEV version of the Prius V available at the same time in the US as the Outlander PHEV. It would have less range but a 60+MPG minivan would certainly compete with it.

Don't forget GM. They had a concept Voltec SUV/Crossover which could compete with this several years ago.

 

[kmp647]

Mitsubishi is so off the map for us car buyers, I can't imagine this vehicle not helping if it's advertised properly

They need attention and traffic in the showrooms

I think you are right and if ran a Mitsubishi store I would be screaming for this vehicle
They already have evse and chademo at lots of Mitsubishi dealers because of the imev

if they do get it here and don't mess it up with goofy wheels and trim it might be my next EV
My Leaf lease is up feb 10 2015

 

[kmp647]

It's a shame Toyota is so anti-EV. Otherwise they could have a PHEV version of the Prius V available at the same time in the US as the Outlander PHEV. It would have less range but a 60+MPG minivan would certainly compete with it.

Toyota could have also built a PHEV highlander, I know it would take more $ and work as it would be a whole new power train
Easy for Toyota , take the current 2.5l Camry hybrid system, add a larger more powerful lithium pack,j1712 7.7 kw on board charger and drop that power train into Toyota highlander, Lexus ES300h, Camry,sienna,Avalon, Lexus NXH, you name it.

 

[GRA]

It's a shame Toyota is so anti-EV. Otherwise they could have a PHEV version of the Prius V available at the same time in the US as the Outlander PHEV. It would have less range but a 60+MPG minivan would certainly compete with it.

Toyota could have also built a PHEV highlander, I know it would take more $ and work as it would be a whole new power train <snip>

Instead, they built a FCHV Highlander [note: their previous generation of fuel cell vehicle, not the upcoming one], because fuel cells are where they think EVs are going. We'll have to wait a few years to see if they're right or not, cause it all depends on the relative rates of development of BEVs and FCEVS/FCHVs, and their respective infrastructures.

 

[kmp647]

take a look at Mitsubishi page on the remote Iphone app for the outlander
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/products/outlander_phev/app/remote/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

very well done Mitsu !

they are clearly paying attention and have a product ready for the US market , it looks cool too and passed the wife approval test.

My bet is they are doing everything they can at this point to launch in the US and it may happen by end of 14 or very early 15.

take a look at the Belgium website for the outlander PHEV !
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.be/fr-be/modeles/outlander-phev" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[EvansvilleLeaf]

take a look at Mitsubishi page on the remote Iphone app for the outlander
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.com/en/products/outlander_phev/app/remote/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

very well done Mitsu !

they are clearly paying attention and have a product ready for the US market , it looks cool too and passed the wife approval test.

My bet is they are doing everything they can at this point to launch in the US and it may happen by end of 14 or very early 15.

take a look at the Belgium website for the outlander PHEV !
http://www.mitsubishi-motors.be/fr-be/modeles/outlander-phev" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Great info. I fear though that if the ratio between ICE and PHEV pricing is maintained in the US as it is in Belgium - over twice the price - I will be reluctantly dropping another option off my Leaf replaement possibles. Generally we've been able to roughly assume Euros = Dollars once US pricing is revealed, with some wiggle room of course. A 51-52K Outlander is dead in the water here to all but the most dedicated EV fans who will demand AWD at any cost. That's a $25k+ cost adder for the 30 mile AER battery!

Hopefully the lower cost of fuel here will make Mitsu realize the cost overwhelms the benefit by too large a margin. (I'm no fan of expecting EVs to necessarily pay for their higher cost relative to ICE completely in fuel savings, but the thought of paying well into 5 figures for the privilege over the car's lifetime ain't going to get me into a dealership either)

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Hopefully the lower cost of fuel here will make Mitsu realize the cost overwhelms the benefit by too large a margin. (I'm no fan of expecting EVs to necessarily pay for their higher cost relative to ICE completely in fuel savings, but the thought of paying well into 5 figures for the privilege over the car's lifetime ain't going to get me into a dealership either)

I agree. In fact, I wonder if this is why Mitsubishi has been so slow to bring the car to the US.