2017 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
After the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV’s US
debut was pushed back several times, the plug-in hybrid SUV finally made its
appearance at the New York Auto Show and it’s going on sale in fall 2016.
Looking identical to the facelifted
European and Japanese 2016MY Outlander PHEV variants, Mitsubishi’s latest
addition to the North American line-up features a 2.0-litre gas engine and two
high-performance electric motors, driving the front and rear wheels,
responsible for offering a permanent 4WD system that provides quick and
optimized torque distribution.
The electric units are mounted
separately at the front and rear axles, thus providing precise, responsive
all-wheel-drive performance, while the company’s S-AWC (Super All Wheel
Control) system ensures intuitive and linear handling – or so Mitsubishi says.
The battery that supplies the juice for the motors is located is a
high-capacity 12kWh lithium-ion pack. located under the floor.
The Outlander PHEV features three
available driving modes, including the full electric EV mode, series power
(electric power with generator operation), and parallel hybrid (engine power
and electric motor assistance). The vehicle’s PHEV system automatically selects
the most efficient mode depending of a series of factors, such as road
conditions and traction. The system also comes with a regenerative braking
mode, capturing electricity under braking.
Although official figures have yet to be
released, we know the car boasts a 20.2 km/L (4.95 l/100 km or 47.5 mpg US)
consumption figure, measured in the Japanese JC08 drive mode, while its
all-electric range is 60.8 km.
