Mitsubishi Motors to unveil New Outlander PHEV at Paris Show

At the forthcoming 2012 Paris Motor Show (“Mondial de l’Automobile”), Mitsubishi Motors will stage the premiere of the new Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV. The New Outlander PHEV will share its architecture with the soon-to-be-introduced New Outlander’s internal combustion engine (ICE) versions.

The new Outlander PHEV will have three driving modes supported by front and rear electric motors and front traction/generator engine. Click to enlarge.

The PHEV will be a 4WD, EV-based, supplemented by a gasoline engine when needed. This is a solution more suited to global markets than diesel. The combination of front electric motor + rear electric motor + front traction/generator gasoline engine will translate into a choice of three driving modes:

• Pure (Twin Motor 4WD EV)
• Series (Twin Motor 4WD - EV supported by generator)
• Parallel (ICE engine supported by Twin Motor 4WD)

When fitted to the New Outlander, the Mitsubishi Plug-in Hybrid system will allow for a long haul range and very low emissions similar to that of the Concept PX-MiEV II show car—a driving distance of more than 800 km and a CO₂ target below 50 g/km.
While the New Outlander ICE will be launched in Western & Eastern Europe in the fall of 2012, the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV will be retailed in Europe during the course of 2013.



Source: Green Car Congress

Mitsubishi will debut production-ready extended-range Outlander at Geneva

Along with redesigning the entire Outlander line which will debut next month at the Geneva Show, Mitsubishi will introduce its long-anticipated production plug-in hybrid version with capability of 31 miles all-electric range, and potential for near-triple-digit MPG equivalent.

The U.S. version of the tech-laden vehicle is to go on sale in 2013 and is derived from the second all-wheel-drive PX-MiEV concept previously shown at Tokyo. According to Mitsubishi spokesperson Christine Jew, it is capable of operating as a series hybrid, parallel hybrid, or on battery power alone.

We noticed a report saying a battery electric version will be introduced, but in the interest of avoiding confusion, we’re reporting Mitsubishi verified that was an error.

Instead, the “EV-based Outlander” will use a gasoline engine (possibly 2.0-liter but not confirmed) plus dual electric motors, lithium-ion battery pack and other technology from its “i” electric city car. Mitsubishi would not verify powertrain details, but the concept upon which it’s based was said to deliver power on par with a 3.0-liter V6.

The two electric propulsion motors (60-kw (80.5 horsepower) on the concept) – one for the front, another for the rear wheels – are controlled by sophisticated electronics. Combined with the petrol power plant, range is said to be over 500 miles (800 km), with emissions below 50 grams per kilometer.

How the plug-in Outlander will do on the EPA fuel efficiency test cycle is to be determined, but Mitsubishi’s initial projection for the easy going Japanese cycle is a combined rating of 141 MPGe (60 km per liter). This cycle normally scores significantly higher than does the U.S. cycle. For some reference, the EPA says Mitsubihi’s smaller i makes 112 MPGe combined.

Mitsubishi says the “eco-friendly” Outlander line will include variants for other markets including gasoline and turbo diesel.

Order of introduction for these new Outlanders is Russia first this summer, then to “European, Japanese, Oceania, Chinese and North American markets,” with the extended-range version beginning production later this fiscal year. The diesel is not scheduled for the U.S.

Among other safety features, the lineup will include the following advanced safety technologies:

• FCM (Forward Collision Mitigation System): Detects obstacles on the road ahead of the car and automatically applies the brakes to prevent a collision.
• ACC (Adaptive Cruise Control System): Operates to maintain a safe distance between the car in front even at very low speeds experienced in heavy traffic congestion.
• LDW (Lane Departure Warning System): Functions to warn the driver that their vehicle is about to depart from its lane.

Production ICE version.

The plug-in Outlander is actually one of eight electrified vehicles Mitsubishi will reportedly launch by 2016. These will include plug-in hybrids and full-electric vehicles.

Part of this new plan – which is reportedly well under way – is to produce small SUV’s and light trucks to attract farmers, contractors, and others who use light trucks as part of their work.

As for their BEV forerunner, the humble i, Mitsubishi has said it hopes to double last year’s global sales for 2012 to 42,000 units.

Mitsubishi looks like it means business, and if it meets its ambitious goals over the next few years, it stands to become a force to be reckoned with.

Source: GM-Volt.com

Mitsubishi will offer battery-electric Outlander crossover by March 2013

Mitsubishi, which will unveil the latest version of its Outlander crossover at the Geneva International Motor Show next month, will start selling a battery-electric version of the CUV by next spring.

The Japanese automaker said it will add an "EV-based Outlander model" to its lineup during its fiscal year 2012, indicating that the EV will start sales by March 31, 2012. Mitsubishi didn't provide further details on specifications, price or range, saying only that the powertrain would be based on Mitsubishi's "already existing EV technology." Last July, Ward's Auto reported that Mitsubishi would start selling a plug-in hybrid-electric version of the Outlander Sport in 2013. The automaker first unveiled a concept version of the plug-in at the 2009 Tokyo Motor Show,

Mitsubishi's battery-electric crossover marks its continued efforts to cut its fleets' carbon footprint by way of broader electrification. Mitsubishi, which started selling its battery-electric Mitsubishi i on the West Coast and in Hawaii last November, last month confirmed that the i would be available nationwide by summer, earlier than expected. The car, which costs about $6,000 less than the $35,200 Nissan Leaf battery electric, was named in November by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Energy as the U.S.'s most fuel-efficient vehicle in terms of its so-called miles-per-gallon-equivalent ratings.

Earlier this month, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy (ACEEE) ranked the Mitsubishi i the "greenest" car sold in the U.S. this year. The ACEEE had bestowed that award on the Honda Civic Natural Gas for the previous eight straight years, though the Leaf shared last year's distinction with the CNG-powered Civic.


Source: Autoblog Green

Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II is the 2013 Outlander in mild disguise

If Mitsubishi is serious about its electrification efforts, it has to offer more than the pint-sized all-electric i in the States. That's where the Concept PX-MiEV II comes in.

What you're looking at is the plug-in hybrid version of the 2013 Mitsubishi Outlander, something Mitsubishi confirms is set to go on sale sometime in 2012.

A traditional 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine is mounted up front, but each rear axle has an electric motor that's fed power by a lithium-ion battery pack spanning the floor. Mitsubishi claims the MX-MiEV II can run up to 31 miles on electric power alone, and if you mash the gas the system switches to parallel hybrid mode by engaging the engine. All told, you should be able to make it up to 500 miles on a single tank, but if you're commute is less than 15 miles, you could go gas-free for months.



Source: Autoblog Green