MITSUBISHI Motors Australia Restricted (MMAL) earned a first-mover benefit within the plug-in hybrid SUV market when it launched the first-generation Outlander PHEV again in 2013, so this month’s launch of the smaller and extra inexpensive Eclipse Cross PHEV may very well be well-timed to capitalise on elevated consciousness, uptake and authorities help for electrified automobiles.
It’s a interval of elevated exercise round electrified automobiles on this nation, with PHEV SUV gross sales up 135.1 per cent year-to-date whereas hybrid and pure EV SUVs and passenger vehicles are additionally on a constant enhance, and small SUV gross sales proceed to develop at a sooner charge than medium and huge SUVs.
Although the petrol-electric variants went on to solely account for 2 per cent of the general Outlander gross sales, the Eclipse Cross PHEV might make an even bigger impression – and expertise gained over the past eight years means MMAL has a greater understanding than most of what PHEV clients need and want.
On this time, MMAL discovered that Outlander PHEV house owners had been leaning closely on their car’s battery, with 84 per cent of journey time spent in electric-only mode.
Virtually three-quarters would cost their vehicles a minimum of one per day and 99 per cent would cost at residence to make the most of low kilowatt-hour prices, whereas solely seven per cent would cost at public EV cost factors close to their houses.
Initially slated to launch in August however delayed as a result of semiconductor provide points, the Eclipse Cross PHEV’s native arrival expands MMAL’s electrified mannequin vary to 2 and strengthens its place within the mainstream electrified car market.
The Outlander PHEV will itself get a lift subsequent 12 months when a second-generation mannequin arrives, however for now the Eclipse Cross PHEV represents the slicing fringe of Mitsubishi’s electrification technique
It caps an in depth mid-life replace of its small SUV household that started in December 2020 with the arrival of petrol-powered Eclipse Cross variants.
As a plug-in hybrid, the Eclipse Cross PHEV marries two electrical motors and a lithium-ion battery with a combustion engine, with the engine largely employed as an on-board generator for when the battery-only vary is inadequate.
With a full cost, Mitsubishi claims an electric-only vary of 55km – adequate for the every day driving calls for of most drivers, the corporate says.
When the 13.8kWh lithium-ion battery runs dry, the two.4-litre Atkinson-cycle petrol inline 4 begins in generator mode to proceed supplying the 2 drive motors with energy, extending theoretical vary to greater than 500km.
It’s this mechanical mixture that the corporate believes to be the perfect match for Australia, which has a largely urbanised inhabitants however massive distances between capitals and states.
In line with MMAL’s ‘The Highway to Web Zero’ white paper, launched earlier this month, combining an all-electric functionality with a range-extender powered by liquid fuels is a best-of-both-worlds technique which may resonate higher with typical Australian consumers.
By way of the Eclipse Cross PHEV, the one significant barrier is worth. Beginning at $46,490 earlier than on-roads for the bottom ES grade it’s $5,700 dearer than the Eclipse Cross Exceed AWD with the standard 1.5-litre turbo powertrain.
This places it in shut competitors with the Kia Niro PHEV S, which opens Kia’s PHEV vary with a $49,990 drive-away pricetag, whereas the MG HS PHEV Essence slots in at $47,990 drive-away.
For a non-SUV choice, Hyundai’s Ioniq plug-in undercuts all with a $42,410 earlier than on-roads sticker, however exists within the less-popular small automotive class.
The Eclipse Cross PHEV’s three-grade line-up (consisting of ES, Aspire and Exceed) aligns intently with the tools ranges current within the conventionally-engined Eclipse Cross ES, Aspire and Exceed grades, with the first differentiators being the electrified powertrain and a few components of the inside.
For instance, the PHEV-specific transmission selector quadrant, instrument cluster and a few information screens within the infotainment system are distinctive to the hybrid.
Boot capability is barely lowered as a result of battery pack elevating the ground peak to be flush with the loading lip, bringing the overall seats-up baggage capability all the way down to 359 litres (from 405 litres within the petrol).
Nevertheless, whereas the worth premium is appreciable – spec for spec, the Eclipse Cross Exceed PHEV prices $13,200 greater than the common petrol mannequin it’s based mostly upon – MMAL prefers to see the PHEV vary as being a definite sub-species moderately than merely a powertrain choice.
The corporate is eager to level out that all-wheel drive, which is simply obtainable on two out six petrol-engined Eclipse Cross variants, is standard-issue on each PHEV.
Past that, the PHEV vary additionally boasts phone-app distant controls for sure capabilities, like cabin pre-heating/cooling and cost monitoring, whereas a vehicle-to-grid functionality can be in-built that might ultimately give house owners the power to make use of their vehicles as an power storage system for his or her houses, and even feed power again into the grid.
It stays to be seen whether or not the market decides that these value-adds are worthy of the PHEV premium, however in contrast to the Outlander PHEV it seems that the electrically enhanced Eclipse Cross arrives to a market that’s much more beneficial to automobiles of its sort.
2021 Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV pricing*
ES (a) | $46,490 |
Aspire (a) | $49,990 |
Exceed (a) | $53,990 |
*Excludes on-road prices
