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Mitsubishi bringing Concept XR-PHEV II to Geneva

Head to the Geneva Motor Show this year and you'll see what could very well be the next production Mitsubishi. Though dubbed a "concept," the XR-PHEV II is clearly closer to being ready for production than the first XR-PHEV concept it showcased in Toyko back in 2013. Spindly as they may be, this one actually has side mirrors, the bodywork is a little toned down compared to the previous concept, there are actual openings in the grille, and you can actually see what looks like a functional interior through the windows. Overall the shape of this urban crossover looks promising, reminding us a bit of the Lamborghini Urus concept crossed with a Lancer Evo. But at least as important is what's under the hood. That's where Mitsubishi has placed its latest plug-in hybrid powertrain. The system includes an electric motor good for 160 horsepower, juiced by a 12-kWh battery. Strangely, the Japanese automaker hasn't specified what it's mated to, exactly, except to say that it's a MIVEC engine – those being the letters Mitsubishi uses for its variable valve timing system and utilized on gasoline and diesel engines ranging from 1.0 to 3.8 liters and from three cylinders to six. The previous concept, however, utilized a 1.1-liter turbo three with 134 hp on tap. It looks like we'll have to wait closer to its debut for further details and photos, but for now you can scope out all there is to know so far in the press release below. MITSUBISHI MOTORS AT 2015 GENEVA INTERNATIONAL MOTORSHOW Feb 25, 2015 TOKYO - Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will unveil the global debut of the Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV II[1] as well as the European premiere of the L200[2] pick-up truck at the 85th Geneva International Motor Show[3]. The Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV II is a small SUV powered by a new plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV) system and the all-new L200 is due to go on sale in Europe this summer. The Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV II is a small SUV concept expected to be MMC's second PHEV following the Outlander PHEV launched in the UK in April, 2014. The new PHEV system presented in the Mitsubishi Concept XR-PHEV II is a lightweight, compact and high-efficiency front-engine/front-drive system ideal for an urban crossover. The system is estimated to achieve very low CO2 emissions of below 40 g/km, among the lowest of any PHEV, while also delivering gutsy and smooth performance with excellent response with its 163PS electric motor.

Mitsubishi looks to crossovers and EVs for US success

Say what you will about Mitsubishi, but the Japanese automaker is slowly seeing a resurgence here in the United States. December 2015 marked the company's twenty-second consecutive month of year-over-year sales increases, and looking at last year as a whole, Mitsubishi's sales were up 23 percent over 2014. Ken Konieczka, Mitsubishi's vice president of sales operations, says that in order to stay successful, the company will bet big on crossovers and electric vehicles in the coming years. And that means a relatively aggressive product plan here in the US. First up, a brand-new CUV will launch in early 2018, previewed by the eX Concept that debuted at last year's Tokyo Motor Show (pictured). Konieczka says Mitsubishi is making room for this new crossover in its lineup – the Outlander will slowly get bigger, and the Outlander Sport will get smaller. The production version of the eX will slot between those two. Speaking of the Outlander siblings, both will be replaced in the next five years. A new, larger Outlander will arrive in 2019, and the smaller Outlander Sport will arrive in 2020. To fulfill the electric side of the business, Konieczka confirms the next Outlander Sport will sprout an EV variant, and the Outlander plug-in hybrid will launch in the United States later in 2016, as a 2017 model. As for the rest of the company's portfolio, Mitsubishi will offer the updated Mirage hatchback and new G4 sedan later this year. The future for the Lancer, however, looks grim. Konieczka says Mitsubishi still can't find an OEM partner to help create and produce a new Lancer, and our gut says the compact sedan will be phased out in the very near future. "We made a lot of mistakes," Konieczka admits, saying Mitsubishi was "spread too thin [and] had too many models" in the past. This new, more focused approach on EVs and crossovers certainly sounds promising, and will hopefully help Mitsubishi continue its slow growth here in the US market. Still, we won't know for sure until the new products actually reach showrooms. But for now, at least, things are steadily on the rise.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV delayed until early 2016 in US

The Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid has been a noteworthy success for the Japanese brand with over 33,000 sales sold worldwide as of the summer of 2014. Unfortunately, the electrified crossover has seen continual delays for its planned North American debut. The latest news about the model pushes back its launch even more. The Outlander PHEV now isn't slated to go on sale in the US until roughly April 2016, according to Mitsubishi North America Executive Vice President Don Swearingen in Automotive News. Dealers are clamoring for the plug-in hybrid crossover, though. "That is going to be a vehicle that really sets us apart from the competition," said Ryan Gremore, 2015 chairman of the Mitsubishi National Advisory Board, to AN. Multiple postponements have plagued the Outlander PHEV in arriving to the US. It was once rumored to launch here in the fall of 2014, but a battery shortage pushed the date to 2015. Subsequently, a California mandate to fit a sensor to monitor degradation of the lithium-ion batteries caused another delay until late 2015 or early 2016. In foreign markets, the Mitsubishi CUV plug-in offers a 12-kWh battery and electric driving range of about 30 miles. However once sales actually begin, the US version is supposed to be completely different with a retuned hybrid system, which could alter these figures. The styling and interior are also supposed to see a change, possibly like the attractively reskinned PHEV Concept-S from the 2014 Paris Motor Show.