Mitsubishi is preparing to sharpen up its Toyota RAV4 challenger with a new 'full hybrid' version, deleting the plug from the plug-in hybrid to reduce fuel consumption at a lower price.
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Work is underway on a hybrid version of the Mitsubishi Outlander that doesn't need to be plugged in, a top executive has confirmed, to rival the top-selling Toyota RAV4.
And it is on the wish list for an Australian launch, after it is rolled out in other south-east Asian markets where there are even fewer charging stations to top up a plug-in hybrid's battery.
It is being developed at the same time as a mild-hybrid Outlander for the US market, which will only trim fuel consumption – by about 10 per cent – and may not be able to drive the wheels on electric power alone.
Arrival timing for the plug-less Outlander 'full hybrid' is yet to be confirmed, but it may still be some time away.
A Mitsubishi Australia spokesperson told Drive the company is "busy launching the updated ICE [petrol-only Outlander]" and "supporting that with the new PHEV that has more [battery] capacity, range and performance."
"We will monitor other options and consider if they work for our market when they are available."
Kentaro Honda, Mitsubishi Outlander segment chief engineer, confirmed to Drive that work is underway on the 'plug-less' Outlander hybrid.
"We are developing the hybrid version, especially about the ASEAN [south-east Asian] market," Honda-san told Drive, "but based on that we'll consider to release globally."
The Mitsubishi executive said the hybrid will suit markets where owners cannot as easily recharge the large battery of an Outlander PHEV, to unlock its circa-100km electric range.
"We always think about not only full base PHEV, and also hybrid version – we'll release those systems based on the country conditions," he said.
"If electricity price [is low] or availability is high, we'll consider the PHEV systems. But for example, like the ASEAN market, it is still not good for electricity price or charging infrastructure, [so] we'll consider the hybrid version.
"So it's very dependent on the destination, we'll consider which system is the best for the destination."
Technical details of the Outlander hybrid are yet to be revealed, but it is believed to draw heavily from the plug-in hybrid, but with a smaller battery pack.
Asked if it will be capable of electric-only driving, Honda-san replied: "[The] current XForce [hybrid] which released [recently in] Thailand is a full hybrid, based on the PHEV system."
The XForce is a small Mitsubishi SUV sold in south-east Asia, which in hybrid form combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and two-speed transmission, for claimed fuel use of 4.1L/100km.
Using plug-in hybrid parts would mean a 98kW/155Nm 2.4-litre petrol engine, 85kW front electric motor and 100kW rear motor.
Mitsubishi would need to cut the battery capacity by more than 90 per cent, from 20kWh in the pre-update Outlander PHEV, and 22.7kWh in the latest model, to about 2kWh.
It would mean the use of Mitsubishi technology, rather than Alliance partner Nissan's e-Power hybrid system, which uses the petrol engine as a generator to charge the battery, rather than directly drive the wheels.
Expect fuel consumption to split a petrol all-wheel-drive Outlander's 8.1L/100km, and a PHEV's 1.5L/100km – all derived from lab testing, which favours electric power for the hybrids.
Even fewer details are known about what will power the mild-hybrid Outlander, the existence of which was revealed by Honda-san in an interview with Automotive News, who said it will cut fuel use by about 10 per cent.
Mitsubishi Australia is yet to confirm the Outlander hybrid for local showrooms, but it appears to be interested in the vehicle.
"I think what I can say [about the Outlander plug-less hybrid] is what our global CEO said last year when he released the Momentum 2030 [model strategy plan]," Shaun Westcott, Mitsubishi Motors Australia CEO, told Drive.
"He said that all forms of electrification are under study and under consideration, and will be introduced to the right markets at the right time
"That is a global statement that has been made by our global CEO. We are confident that we'll get the right technology at the right time. We also have input into that, when we think the market is ready for the product."
Honda-san added: "We [have] had many requests from Shaun-san, like Ralliart, hybrid. So yeah, it is [in] our study phase."
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Alex Misoyannis has been writing about cars since 2017, when he started his own website, Redline. He contributed for Drive in 2018, before joining CarAdvice in 2019, becoming a regular contributing journalist within the news team in 2020. Cars have played a central role throughout Alex’s life, from flicking through car magazines at a young age, to growing up around performance vehicles in a car-loving family. Highly Commended - Young Writer of the Year 2024 (Under 30) Rising Star Journalist, 2024 Winner Scoop of The Year - 2024 Winner
