Mitsubishi will use the Paris Motor Show to continue its rollout of ambitious and innovative “new-age” products.
On centre stage will be the world introduction of the all-new Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) - a car that will have a driving range of more than 800km.
The Outlander PHEV will be powered by two electric motors and a petrol engine that will be primarily used as a generator, similar to the Holden Volt launched in Australia last week.
But unlike the range-extending Volt, which is effectively an electric car with a back-up petrol-driven generator, the Outlander PHEV can be powered by the electric motors, the electric motors with the engine acting as a generator, or a combination of the electric motors and petrol engine.
The world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV borrows electrical components from the Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric vehicle, combining two 60kW electric motors - one at the front and one at the rear - with a 70kW 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine.
According to Mitsubishi it will have an official fuel consumption figure of 1.6L/100km, compared with the smaller and more aerodynamic Holden Volt’s 1.2L/100km.
Mitsubishi has also revealed the Outlander will be equipped with an array of active safety systems, although not all will be across the range or available from launch in November.
In Europe, the systems will come under the e-Assist umbrella and include adaptive cruise control, autonomous braking - called Forward Collision Mitigation System by Mitsubishi - and lane departure warning.
The new-generation petrol and for the first time diesel-powered variants will be available in Australia in the latter part of the year, with the plug-in hybrid PHEV range-topper expected to be added to the range in mid 2013.
