Mitsubishi Motors announced the arrival of the Outlander PHEV SUV in the UK showrooms in May, priced from £28,249 for an entry level model.
Mitsubishi said that the Outlander PHEV is the only plug-in hybrid in the UK market that does not carry a price premium for its hybrid technology. In other words customers can choose between a diesel or PHEV Outlander for the same price. The entry-level GX3h Outlander PHEV is on sale for £28,249 after the grant. This is the same price as the Outlander diesel GX3 auto.
There are two other Outlander PHEV variants, GX4h priced at £32,899 and GX4hs which is £34,999 (after the grant). There is no charge for the PHEV equipment, but these two variants are £1,000 more than their diesel equivalent due to added specification.
The Outlander PHEV is the most practical vehicle that qualifies for the Government’s £5,000 Plug-in Car Grant with 5 seats, 4WD capability and a very large boot. The car is kind to the planet emitting just 44 g/km which means that there is no Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) payable.
Outlander PHEV’s extremely low emissions mean that the car is perfect for company car drivers. Attracting a benefit in kind rate of 5%, a 40% tax payer will pay just £665 in this tax year, less than some of the smallest cars in the market.
The Outlander PHEV offers environmentally friendly, all –electric operation for everyday use and engine power for longer journeys. The vehicle’s unique combination of electric motors and a 2.0 petrol engine give it amazing flexibility in optimising fuel efficiency and environmental performance whilst providing a cruising range of 512 miles.
On electric power only, the Outlander PHEV can travel up to 32.5 miles, enabling it to function entirely as an electric vehicle in most everyday situations – it more than covers the UK’s average daily commute of 25 miles.
The official fuel consumption figure for PHEV is 148mpg, based on industry standards set by European law. Unlike non-hybrid vehicles, it is hard to predict what MPG the vehicle will return in real life. A lot depends on journey length and speed – for instance, for the average daily commute of 25 miles most people will achieve much higher than 148mpg. For longer journeys at higher speeds it may achieve less than 148mpg.
The all-new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV offers a 3-year / unlimited mileage warranty on all ICE components and a 5-year / 100,000 mile warranty on EV components. As with all Mitsubishi models, the Outlander PHEV will come with a pan-European roadside assistance package valid for 3-years. The service interval for the new Outlander PHEV is 12,500 miles/12 months (whichever occurs first) and Mitsubishi’s extremely competitive service plan (MSP), covering the first three scheduled services is available for just £500.
No Compromise
Despite the Outlander PHEV’s ultra-low emissions and outstanding fuel economy this vehicle is still a fully competitive SUV with no compromises.
Careful development of the Outlander PHEV’s architecture and safety equipment means that the all-new vehicle achieves an impressive 5 star Euro NCAP safety rating. Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) is standard on all models along with 7 SRS airbags and Reinforced Impact Safety Evolution (RISE) safety body, so the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV is fully equipped to protect occupants in the event of a collision.
The range topping GX4hs comes with the advanced e-assist safety system: Lane Departure Warning, Forward Collision Mitigation and clever Adaptive Cruise Control technology.
It also has an Acoustic Vehicle Alerting System (AVAS), which produces an audible warning sound to alert pedestrians when in EV mode. This can be heard whenever the vehicle is in motion, up to a speed of 22mph.
Storing the drive battery under the floor improves safety by lowering the centre of gravity and reducing roll movement, without affecting SUV functionality.
Twin Motors
Smaller, lighter, higher output versions of the permanent magnet synchronous motors used in the i-MiEV are located front and rear. These have a maximum output of 60 kW each and maximum torques of 137 Nm (front) and 195 Nm (rear), and deliver high torque and power from the outset.
Twin Motor 4WD
Leveraging its proven expertise in 4WD control technology, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) has developed a new Twin Motor 4WD system that delivers power independently to the front wheels (from the front motor and/or engine) and rear wheels (from the rear motor). The use of motors and absence of mechanical connections such as a propeller shaft mean the Twin Motor 4WD delivers better response and finer control than conventional 4WD systems and reduces friction loss.
Twin Motor 4WD is coupled with MMC’s S-AWC (Super-All Wheel Control) integrated vehicle dynamics control system, which combines front- and rear-wheel-drive control and left- and right-wheel-brake control to provide consistent handling and unbeatable stability on the road. Two modes are offered, selectable at the flick of a switch: Normal Mode for ordinary conditions and Lock Mode for enhanced all-terrain performance.
Drive Modes
The Outlander PHEV has three drive modes:
EV Drive Mode: EV Drive Mode is an all-electric mode in which the front and rear motors drive the vehicle using only electricity from the drive battery.
Series Hybrid Mode: In Series Hybrid Mode, the petrol engine operates as a generator supplying electricity to the electric motors.
Parallel Hybrid Mode: The system switches to Parallel Hybrid Mode when the vehicle reaches high speeds. In this mode the high- efficiency petrol engine provides most of the motive power, assisted by the electric motors as required
2.0-litre Petrol Engine
The Outlander PHEV also comes with an efficient 2.0-litre petrol engine. It is fitted with MMC’s MIVEC (Mitsubishi Innovative Valve Timing Electronic Control) technology, which keeps the engine in optimal efficiency ranges by continuously varying the timing of the air intake valves according to engine speed in Parallel Hybrid Mode.
Drive Battery
The drive battery is a high-capacity lithium-ion battery developed for the PHEV system based on the technology used in the i-MiEV. It consists of 80 cells housed in a battery pack enclosed in a secure frame, and has a total voltage of 300V and total storage capacity of 12.0 kWh.
Transaxles
Taking advantage of the fact that electric motors require no complex transmission mechanisms, the front and rear transaxles incorporate simple single-speed fixed-reduction gears for smoother travel, free from ‘shift shock’. The front transaxle also has a built-in clutch that switches the system to Parallel Drive Mode mainly for engine-powered travel at high speeds.
Regenerative Braking
During deceleration, the motors function as generators so that electricity can be generated to charge the drive battery. The regenerative braking can be increased when the brake pedal is pressed. The strength of regenerative braking is adjustable using the selector lever, which has three strength settings, and a paddle selector on the steering wheel, which offers six strength settings.
No Compromise on Specification
The range will start with a GX3h specification. This has the following key specification items:
– 18” alloy wheels
– Cruise control
– Dual-zone climate control air conditioning
– Privacy glass
– Electric folding/heating mirrors with indicators
– Leather steering wheel
– Steering wheel audio controls
– Bluetooth hands-free
On top of the GX3h, the GX4h has:
– Sat-nav with HD seven-inch touchscreen
– Wide-beam HID headlamps
– Heated front seats/power driver’s seat
– Reversing camera
– Leather seats
– DAB radio
– Electric sunroof
– Power tailgate
– Mobile App
– Timers to control heating/cooling and charge times
Over the GX4h, the GX4hs has the following items:
– Adaptive cruise control
– Forward collision mitigation system
– Lane departure warning
