2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Makes U.S. Debut

The era of plugins is upon us. Although customers may not exactly be beating down dealers’ doors for them, looming EPA fuel economy standards are forcing automakers to build them to be nominally compliant with the regulations. For those customers that see the value in the concept and don’t have a lavish budget to spend on something like the Volvo XC90 T8 Twin Engine, Mitsubishi will offer its popular Outlander midsize crossover with a plug-in option in the U.S. market for the 2017 model year.
The system consists of a 2.0L I-4 gas engine paired with two electric motors, one at each axle. The system will automatically switch between three drive modes depending on state of charge and driving conditions: full EV, series hybrid, and parallel hybrid. Providing power to the PHEV system is a 12 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. For comparison, a Chevy Volt’s pack is 18.4 kWh. Mitsubishi promises a “high” electric range and an excellent mpg rating. Neither figure was officially
The usual suite of safety features will be available on the Outlander PHEV, including around-view camera, forward collision mitigation with pedestrian detection, blind-spot monitoring, and rear cross-traffic alert. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto capability will also be baked in. The Outlander PHEV will be in Mitsubishi showrooms starting in fall 2016.