The Outlander is the first car to be designed by Mitsubishi from the outset for internal combustion engines and plug-in hybrid EV technology combined.

At the press conference of the launch of the new Outlander PHEV, which will arrive in the UK in April next year, Hiroshi Harunari, president of Mitsubishi Motors North America, believes this is a new era for the Japanese manufacturer.

“The Outlander is the first car to be designed from the outset for plug-in hybrid EV technology, charging takes just 4 hours, the Mirage and Outlander are our first products for a new age of Mitsubishi,” he said.

Electric cars have not been without their problems, Mitsubishi was the first manufacturer to market with the all-electric i-MiEV, despite slow sales, UK managing director, Lance Bradley, sees the i-MiEV as a key learning point for the manufacturer.

“Sales of electric vehicles have been slow, I have learned that people are still really anxious about the range, also people don’t expect to pay a premium for new technology but the prices will only go down if the volume is there. i-MiEV has been a key learning point for us, especially when it comes to battery technology,” said Bradley.

Designed from the start as a hybrid, the plug-in Outlander overcomes these concerns from electric cars with 30 miles of electric range and competitive pricing.

Bradley believes hybrid take up will be far more successful than full electric and will drive battery technology forwards and prices down.

“Battery technology will improve, Plug-in hybrid will be good for the industry because more people will be interested in it, more sales, equals more demand in batteries, more development and more competitive pricing,” said Bradley.

Within 5 years a hybrid or full electric version will be available across the entire Mitsubishi range further demonstrating the manufacturer’s commitment to greener technology.

The Outlander PHEV will only be available in 4WD in the UK and pricing will be announced closer to the time.

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Author: Debbie Wood