Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – First Plug In SUV

Mitsubishi has given further technical details for its Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid, which will be publicly unveiled at the Paris Motor Show later this month.

The Outlander PHEV (which stands for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle) is described by Mitsubishi as the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV. Its power comes from systems already in use on pure-electric Mitsubishi vehicles such as the i-MiEV electric city car.

Two separate electric motors are used to drive the front and rear wheels, removing the need for a propshaft and, Mitsubishi says, offers finer control and response than mechanical four-wheel drive systems.  The car’s lithium-ion batteries have a total voltage of 300V and can reach 80 per cent charge in around 30 minutes in quick-charge mode. Full charging time is approximately 4.5 hours from zero per cent.

The car’s 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine includes Mitsubishi’s established MIVEC electronically-controlled variable valve timing system. Mitsubishi is targeting combined fuel efficiency of more than 172mpg, with a combined range of 547 miles or 34 miles in pure EV mode.

The Outlander PHEV will be released in the Japanese market first in early 2013, before being introduced to Europe and North America later in the year.