Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) starts retail sales of its pioneering Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (or “PHEV”) with the first units reaching The Netherlands – the designated launch country in Europe – after production commenced late August at MMC’s Okazaki plant, near Nagoya.
Outlander PHEV meets its market at a time of profound changes in the mindset of global customers, vindicating Mitsubishi Motors’ claim of 20% of its production made of electric/hybrid/plug-in hybrid vehicles by 2020.
Wave # 1
Much expected by dealers and customers in a region forecasted to be its largest global market, Outlander PHEV has already achieved over 10,000 signed orders across Europe since December 2012.
Managing a fine balance between production capacity and overall demand, MMC will launch Outlander PHEV sequentially in Europe, starting with selected PHEV markets (The Netherlands, Nordic countries, etc) from this month onwards.
Competitive
Quite competitive (purchase price and running costs), the EU-specs Outlander PHEV only differs from its Japanese market equivalent in complying with mandatory EU regulations and with a chassis fine-tuned to better suit European driving style.
As a reminder, essential EU market performance figures for the (permanent electric ”Twin Motor 4WD”) Outlander PHEV include:
CO2 emissions
| Maximum driving range | 824 km* |
| Range in Pure EV Mode | 52 km* |
| Fuel consumption | 1.9 l/100 km* |
| CO2 emissions | 44 g/km* |
| Maximum speed | 170 km/h (where legal) |
| Charging | |
| 5 hours – normal charging (230V / 10A) | |
| 30 minutes – quick charging / up to 80% (CHAdeMO standard) | |
| Max. cargo volume | 463 l (VDA method – w/rear passengers) |
| Towing capacity | 1,500 kg (w/brakes) |
| Curb weight | 1810 kg |
*measured as per EU mode
Neither a mere adaptation of an existing Internal Combustion Engined (ICE) vehicle, nor a dedicated Plug-in Hybrid EV high tech showcase, Outlander PHEV is rather a further variant of New Outlander – next to the petrol or diesel options – and developed as such from the start of the program: a unique / no-compromise proposal in the industry… The first self-power generating Twin Motor (permanent) 4WD Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.
Source; Mitsubishi
