2011 Mitsubishi Galant 4dr Sdn Fe on 2040-cars

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Mitsubishi still wants to bolster US sedan lineup, investigating options

Mitsubishi looked healthy in 2014 with a nice sales boost for the year, but so far 2015 hasn't been quite so pleasant with news of product delays or outright cancelations. The Japanese brand isn't letting the setbacks get it down, though, and is still planning for the future. Perhaps the biggest recent disappointment was that Mitsubishi and the Renault-Nissan Alliance scuttled plans to bring a South Korean-built, midsize sedan to the US under Mitsu's branding. The scheme was first announced in late 2013 and would have given the Japanese automaker a replacement for the long-retired Galant. According to Automotive News, the decision came because high exchange rates with the Korean won and Japanese yen against the US dollar made the Asian-built vehicle too costly. Mitsubishi isn't throwing in the towel on the possibility of a larger four-door in the US, just yet. One solution might be retooling the company's US factory in Normal, IL. According to Automotive News, the plant current exports over half of the Outlander Sport units that it builds. That capacity could switch to a new sedan, some of which could also be for shipment abroad. The Outlander Plug-in Hybrid is also being delayed until the second quarter of 2015 in the US. The electrified crossover has proven popular in other markets but has seen multiple postponements in going on sale here. In the meantime, there are a few new products coming down the line. The Mirage Sedan is eventually launching in the US, and the Lancer is reportedly getting a refresh soon. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: Koji Sasahara / AP Photo Plants/Manufacturing Mitsubishi Sedan

Recharge Wrap-up: Toyota FCV ready for production, Nissan tests Leaf-to-Home energy management

Toyota will begin selling its hydrogen fuel cell vehicle (FCV) in Japan in December. The US and Europe can expect to see the car become available next summer. The FCV, which will likely be called "Mirai" (meaning "future") in Japan, is ready for production ahead of its initial deadline at the end of the fiscal year in March. Toyota planned for annual production of 700 units, but might increase output to meet higher-than-expected demand, which is currently nearing 1,000 units. The cars will mostly be sold in the four cities where a hydrogen fueling infrastructure is already being put in place: Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka and Fukuoka. Read more at Nikkei Asian Review. Nissan is testing the Leaf EV as part of an energy management system including "Leaf to Home" technology. The system allows the Leaf to help support the power grid during peak energy usage, or provide backup power to a home or building during outages, particularly in emergencies like natural disasters. Using the Leaf's battery to provide electricity during peak hours would lessen the demand on the grid and make the system work more efficiently. Furthermore, if consumers are compensated for the energy saved by using the Leaf for power during periods of high demand, it could encourage more people to adopt the EV. Learn more in the press release below. CDP has given Honda a perfect climate disclosure score in its Global 500 Climate Change Report for 2014. CDP keeps track of how much companies are disclosing about their impact on global climate change. "The need for data on corporate climate change impacts and strategies to reduce them has never been greater," says CDP CEO Paul Simpson. "For this reason we congratulate those businesses that have achieved a position on CDP's Climate Disclosure Leadership Index." Other perfect scores were earned by Nissan, BMW, Daimler and General Motors. Read more in the press release from Honda below. Scientists at Stanford University have developed a lithium ion battery that can warn users before it overheats. A thin layer of copper between the anode and the layer separating the anode from the cathode acts as a sensor. When it detects lithium buildups from overcharging are approaching the separator, it sends an early alert long before it gets to a point where it would cause a short (which could lead to a fire). The new safety measure could be used in all sorts of battery applications, and not be limited to EVs. Learn more at Phys.org.

Mitsubishi expects to sell only 4,000 Outlander PHEVs in first year in US

First, it was late 2013 or early 2014. Then it was the fall of 2014. And then it was "roughly" April 2016. Now we can strike "roughly" from the record: the Outlander Plug-In Hybrid will finally arrive in the US in April 2016. Alex Fedorak, public relations manager, Mitsubishi Motors North America, told AutoblogGreen that the company is now "confident in that date." The various delays that held up the SUV this far – including battery shortages, deciding to make the PHEV in the US the refreshed version and better-than-expected sales in Europe and Japan – have worked their way through the system, he said. "The issue was battery capacity, and the vehicle sold far better in Europe than anyone anticipated. It just takes time to build the battery. You got to buy raw materials and rethink the whole process. We're confident that it's going to be next spring." As for where the Outlander will go on sale in the US Fedorak said he did not know the initial markets for, but said it was likely the plug-in SUV would mimic the roll-out of the i-MiEV, which is now available in most states. Even with the Outlander PHEV's success overseas, the company does not expect it to be a big seller here. "It's not going to be big percentage of Outlander sales [in the US]," Fedorak said. "Our expectations are in the single-digit percentage of the total Outlander sales. It's just going to be a technology showcase for us, and we'll see what happens. If it takes off for us like it did in Europe, it'll be good news for the brand." Last year, Mistubishi sold 31,054 Outlander Sports and 13,068 Outlanders in the US. That means Mitsubishi expects to sell a maximum of 3,970 Outlander PHEVs (nine percent of 44,122 total Outlander sales) in the plug-in's first year on sale in the US. Fedorak said he doesn't think there are any specific regulatory issues that need to be solved to bring the Outlander PHEV here. Things like EPA certification and crash testing still need to be done, he said, but that's just part of the normal process now. Fedorak said he thinks there is no difference in the plug-in powertrain from the current version sold in Europe and Japan and the version that will come to the US. But the rest of the 2016 Outlander will be "much more than a facelift," he said (something we've heard before). "It's a total rethink of the chassis and the tuning of the vehicle. The NVH of the vehicle, too."Related Video: