Mitsubishi Teases Outlander PHEV Concept

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Concept-S (Credit: © Mitsubishi Motors )

Mitsubishi has been asleep as an automaker, what with the Evolution going end-of-life and the uncertainty that there will be anything to immediately replace the car. Needless to say, the car company needs a solid hit, and perhaps everyone will be getting a preview of such a thing at the 2014 Paris Motor Show. A new Outlander PHEV Concept-S will be fully unveiled there, but for now Mitsubishi is content to tease us with an obscured picture of the vehicle.

For those who don’t know, Mitsubishi has been toying around with the Outlander PHEV for some time. It is a hybrid utility vehicle that could help the company pave the way into the future. This time around, some of the wildest and most cartoon-like features of the past versions of the concept have seemingly disappeared, at least from what the company is showing so far. What’s left is a more sophisticated design that can turn heads without eliciting laughs, or at least as many as the earlier versions.

The concept crossover features a powertrain with twin electric motors, plus a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbo engine. Driving range in hybrid mode is a claimed 512 miles, while in pure electric mode the concept is supposed to be able to travel 32 miles. Considering that the Outlander PHEV Concept-S is supposed to still have four-wheel drive and be able to take on some more rugged terrain than your average crossover, those numbers are actually pretty impressive.

What will ultimately come of this concept vehicle is anyone’s guess, but if it follows history it will go back to a warehouse and Mitsubishi management won’t actually make movements to create a production version. That’s too bad considering how desperately the company needs to prove its relevance in the current automotive market, and such a vehicle at dealerships would likely help do just that.