Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 2014
The new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV has been hyped for some time,
but there is more information being given now about the concept
and specifications of the vehicle. The model year for its release
is 2014, but illustrations and new information have been forthcoming
from Mitsubishi, as they promise a unique vehicle for the Paris
auto show.
The most interesting of the variations for this vehicle is
the Plug-in Hybrid EV, abbreviated as PHEV. It shares much of
its design with the conventional Outlander, but this version
is much more efficient and it's the first PHEV for Mitsubishi
to debut. It's also interesting to note that it will be the
first model from standard series production in the auto industry
to offer drivers electric power along with permanent full-time
four wheel drive.
Somewhat like its sister vehicle, the Concept PX-MiEV II that
was shown at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2011, the Outlander PHEV
has a four-cylinder gas engine / generator that operates the
front wheels, and electric motors powering the rear axles. This
particular gas and electric system can be operated in three
separate modes. The "Pure" mode uses only the two
motors that pull their power from the battery pack on-board.
In "Series" mode, the motors work along with the gas
engine, which functions in its generator mode. "Parallel"
mode uses the motors to support the gas engine.
Mitsubishi claims that the Outlander PHEV production model
will offer drivers a performance that is similar to that of
the Concept PC-MiEV II, which has an operational range with
tank and charge of more than 500 miles. The C02 levels will
be less than 50g / mile, which is very eco-friendly.
The conventional Mitsubishi Outlanders will launch in Europe
and Japan, but it will appear in the 2014 model year for the
United States. The PHEV model will also hit the showrooms of
Europe and Japan in 2013, while sales in the United States won't
begin until late 2013 or perhaps early 2014. Thus far, the company
has not released any information about the pricing of these
new Outlander models.
Mitsubishi began talking about the PC-MiEV, which is a CUV
with plug-in concepts applied, in 2009 at the Tokyo Motor Show.
This has stirred up a lot of interest, but the newest model
of the Outlander hybrid won't be shown until this fall's Paris
Motor Show. The images they have released don't really show
you that much, but the company has announced that the Outlander
plug-in model will share the lines of the New Outlander ICE
versions, which have not yet been introduced.
The Outlander PHEV may be a successful vehicle if the price
is not too high. It could compete with models like the Volvo
V-60 plug-in hybrid and the Ford C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid.
There is a niche available as long as they don't price the vehicle
out of the reach of too many Green buyers. It sounds, however,
like most of the targeted marketing for the PHEV will be aimed
towards Europe, rather than the United States.
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