Outlander PHEV thread

[archie_b]

Green Car Reports posted today that the Outlander PHEV will not be available until the second quarter 2016. If there is no additional delays we should see it as a 2017 model in about a year and a half. Another question is will all of us be able to purchase or will it again only be in a select few states on the West and East coast.

Archie

 

[jray3]

So that's a goal missed by three years, even after they've upgraded battery production capacity to 5000 packs per month? Oh well, it just means that the most SUV-hungry market on earth gets ignored by a full generation of the most innovative SUV on earth. So what? :roll:
Get it together, Mitsubishi!

 

[fjpod]

I just hope that with the price of gasoline right now, that the whole EV trend doesn't get flushed down the toilet.

With the US now producing more oil and gas than ever, with Canada looking to pipe more of its oil to southern ports, with the economy slowing down in China, and with Saudi Arabia pumping as much as ever....the price of oil is not going up anytime soon.

A few of us early adopters may be willing to pay a bit more for our technology, or to help the environment, but the masses are not. At $4 per gallon, some people would make the switch...but at $2 bucks???

 

[NeilBlanchard]

I am wondering what the good folks at Mitsubishi are up to on this - they are teasing a new plugin hybrid concept (that looks sorta' like the CA-MiEV) and yet the delays on the Outlander plugin hybrid keep getting increased.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=51443

 

[JoeS]

While at the San Jose Mitsu dealership dropping off my i-MiEV last week, what should I spy but two Outlander PHEVs! Here are a few photos -

 

[PV1]

Very interesting. Demo or for sale?

 

[JoeS]

Very interesting. Demo or for sale?

Definitely not for sale. As best I could tell, the suits from Mitsubishi turned over the cars to two individuals who were briefly briefed, and my impression was that these guys were taking the PHEVs for an extended time - perhaps "reviewers"? I did talk briefly with the Mitsu rep, expressing my dismay that Mitsubishi had squandered the opportunity over the last couple of years by not having such a desirable PHEV SUV for sale here in the US.

 

[Don]

From AutoBlog.com "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."

Why can't they leave out California and sell it in the other 49 states! :lol:

Don

 

[PV1]

Here's a glimpse of the new style Outlander. Pretty good change the PHEV will look like this when it makes it to the US.

http://www.mitsubishiwebcast.com/?cid=CRM_EM_MY16OTLRem0315-2_0005&et_cid=54143622&et_rid=1677865593

 

[siai47]

At the "reveal" of the 2016 Outlander this morning they stressed the 100 or so things that had been changed to upgrade the vehicle to be a "serious contender" with other SUV's in its class. It sounded like the existing model must be noisy and structurally weak as most of the comments by the presenters referred to the upgrades that addressed NVH (noise, vibration and harshness). No mention was made of powertrain options (the show car was a V6) or anything else that would make me want to rush out and order---including the front end styling that is supposed to remind you of a old Montero. If they want a serious contender SELL THE PHEV OUTLANDER IN THE US MARKET! They had a comment box in which I related the fact that I had two I-MiEV's at one time. One I own and one I leased one (three if you count the wrecked I-MiEV that is scattered around my storage building). I told them that the leased I-MiEV went back as a lease return and was replaced by a Tesla Model S. I am going to sell the other I-MiEV in early 2016 and replace it with a Outlander PHEV if available. If it isn't, the I-MiEV goes and gets replaced by a 2016 Volt and I have no further reason to spend my money at Mitsubishi. I'll let you all know if I get a reply :lol:

 

[JoeS]

40,000+ sales in Europe:

http://insideevs.com/mitsubishi-outlander-phev-sales-pass-40000-in-europe/

 

[siai47]

Well thanks Mitsubishi---as if you cared. It looks like with that timetable the Volt is in and the Outlander is an outlier. I am really mad at GM as the Volt is going to be a California and the 5 California emission states only for October delivery. Ordering will start in October for the rest of us peons and hopefully delivery will be before the first of next year for the tax credit. I guess GM wants bonus emission credits in California so they can sell more Escalades. Even with these delays, it sounds like the Volt will come first. I told the owner of the Mitsubishi dealer that I bought my two I-MiEV's from that would buy whichever vehicle hit the showroom first but I didn't think it would be the Outlander. Face it--Mitsubishi is in deep trouble as far as product in the US market is concerned and they don't seem to want to deliver something that they could sell that has no competition here.

 

[jray3]

Okay, now coming in May. Bout 'damn time, Mitsubishi!
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1099728_mitsubishi-outlander-plug-in-hybrid-may-availability-in-early-markets
Wish I could halfway trust 'em to not push the date, but at this point I'll just wait till our van dies or a good deal comes along on a 7-seat EV or PHEV.

 

[jray3]

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1101801_2017-mitsubishi-plug-in-hybrid-to-lose-quick-charging-port-in-u-s

Not EVen as an option, quite disappointing. Local fast-charging greatly increased the utility of an i-MiEV, and I'm willing to fast charge at a higher cost than the equivalent miles in gasoline. BUT, in a PHEV, that tradeoff is more challenging because the DCFC gains you less range per stop, and the gasoline option is a seamless transition with no immediate time cost.

Assuming that the PHEV Outlander gets 30 highway mpg after the charge is depleted, and gas prices average $3 gal over the next few years, that's 10 cents/mile. If it gets the claimed 3.12 miles/kWh and you spend $0.49/kWh at a Blink DCFC, that's 15.7 cents per mile. So, how many EVen on this forum would pay a 57% premium to go through the inconvenience of fast-charging rather than just keep driving on gasoline? We wouldn't break even until gas hits $4.71!

At my 10 cents/kwh home electricity cost, that's only 3.2 cents per mile; only one third the cost of gas in the Outlander. That's enticing, but I may concede the point about DCFC on a PHEV.

Now if Mitsu would offer the whole-house electric backup unit that runs off a CHAdeMO port? Sign me up. Allow that vehicle-to-house appliance to fast-charge the car? I'll pay more. Allow the Outlander PHEV to fast-charge the i-MiEV with a CHAdeMO umbilical? I'd pay EVen more to keep it in the family.

 

[databeestje]

Your post is the best explanation as to why the Outlander was mainly selling in the EU. It had quite favorable subsidies and road tax cuts over the past few years. Also, with petrol being 7$ to 9$ a gallon in the EU it makes quite a bit more sense here then it does for 3$ a gallon

It's quite the popular car though because it's still a practical 4WD SUV with loads of room and with electricity you can get 80mpg. The DCFC was almost never used in the EU, it doesn't make much sense, most people only used the 3.3kW charger because that fit the usage profile most used. It was either a long trip and they didn't care, or it was a short trip to work, charge while at work, and drive back and charge at home.

The DCFC is more of a left over from the i-Miev origins

 

[jray3]

Fresh update: http://insideevs.com/2017-mitsubishi-outlander-phev-exterior-and-interior-walkaround-in-new-york/
Good video, shows a gearshift with N, D, B modes- no Eco, and silly 225/55R18 tires on the show car, same as the fully-trimmed gasser, which comes in base trim with 215/70R16. It does not show the cargo area or rear seat folding...
Of course, another delay -till November now, and no word on pricing...

 

[Phximiev]

More of the same. Boring is Mitsubishi.

http://insideevs.com/mitsubishi-pulls-plug-outlander-phev-russia-due-low-sales/

 

[PV1]

Why would it be delayed again? There should be extra capacity now that they don't send them to Russia. :lol:

They're heading down the road of Aptera, not releasing it until they think it's "perfect". That road doesn't end well.

Who was in charge of the i-MiEV rollout? Maybe that person should be put in charge of rolling out the Outlander (i-MiEV made it to PA earlier than expected, and actually beat the LEAF to my local dealers).

 

[Phximiev]

Outlander PHEV update per InsideEVs: http://insideevs.com/mitsubishi-again-promises-outlander-phev-will-launch-in-u-s-soon-or-by-march-2018-at-the-latest/

 

[phb10186]

Outlander PHEV update per InsideEVs: http://insideevs.com/mitsubishi-again-promises-outlander-phev-will-launch-in-u-s-soon-or-by-march-2018-at-the-latest/

Well looks like Europe and Japan are consuming the full production capability, so they have to decide to open another line, but that means being confident that they can shift all those cars, and they have to be confident that demand doesn't reduce in Japan and Europe, so; given the fact that Nissan now calls the shots - I wonder if they are just going to run the production capacity they have, and launch in the US once demand shudders in Europe/ Japan... and the falling value of the £ is pushing import prices up now, so the PHEV will go up about 5% this year.

I concur with Inside EV's stats (hate pie charts!) living where I do on the outskirts of London, those PHEVs are everywhere, and I would see several every day (maybe the same ones all the time though) and its been a while since Mitsubishi have had a success like that.

It's a good car, but I don't think the build quality (notably the interior quality) matches up to the RAV 4 or CR-V at all - though the face-lifted one is a big improvement, both outside and inside.

I have been thinking about one of these for my wife... but it's a decision between that and a RAV-4, and since she does such a low annual mileage now, I'm not sure if I will see the savings. And the RAV-4 she used to have was such a fine car, albeit a gas guzzler by todays standards.

It's a bit of strange car, as it's got 30-40 miles of EV range, but once that's exhausted, the engine isn't one of the most economical or best out there, and i have seen reports that complain about the non-electric fuel consumption, so it's good if you have the right daily commute, or the car beats emission rules around where you can park/ go in central London/ company car tax liability - all of which are heavily influenced by the CO2 emissions of the vehicle in the UK. ... That's the reason for it's success - it gets around tax liability - not because people really want a PHEV or an Outlander. Not sure if those regs exist in the US or not.

Overall, yeah it's a nice car, but its not cheap for what it is.

I normally dont agree with most of the motoring press, but of the lot, I regard 'Honest John.co.uk' as the most unbiased. Full review here:

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/mitsubishi/outlander-phev-2014/

Phixy - I know you like a good read of a decent website, so I think you should have a surf around this one. Interestingly the IMIEV didnt score so well (its subjective after all), but I would think if it was released in 2017 it would score higher... Have a look at 'Car by Car' reviews.