Mitsubishi has confirmed its all-new Outlander Plug-in Hybrid will be the first series production electric car with permanent four-wheel drive.
Scheduled to be officially unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in September, the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV has a claimed fuel efficiency of 151mpg. Emissions are predicted to be below 50g/km.
And the manufacturer also claims the PHEV technology is better suited to global markets than diesel simply due to the more widespread availability of petrol.
MItsubishi also says it marks the first of series of alternatively powered models which will be launched over the following 12 months.
The Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV is also, according to the Japanese manufacturer, is the first car from a major manufacturer to be designed from the outset with built-in provision for internal combustion or plug-in electric technology.
Thanks to its unique combination of front electric motor, rear electric motor and a front-mounted engine, the new Mitsubishi is capable of running in one of three driving modes.
In its Pure mode, it uses the front and rear electric motors to power all four wheels using electricity alone.
In Series mode, the front and rear motors are assisted by a petrol engine generator, while Parallel mode sees the internal combustion engine supporting the electric motors.
While the all-new Mitsubishi Outlander will reach showrooms later this year, we’ll have to wait till next year before we get our hands on the Plug-in Hybrid models.
About Jim McGill
Jim McGill is an award-winning motoring and motorsport journalist with more than 25 years' industry experience. He contributes to a number of newspapers and magazines, including The Times, Telegraph, Daily Mail, Scotsman, Sunday Herald and AA Magazine.
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