Mitsubishi Outlander and Eclipse Cross PHEV sales to double
Japanese brand says improved supplies will cut wait times and double sales of its popular plug-in hybrid small and medium SUVsThe popular 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander and Eclipse Cross Plug-in Hybrid EV (PHEV) are about to hit a growth spurt as Mitsubishi responds to booming demand for its electrified mid-size and small SUVs.
Speaking at the recent launch of the new Mitsubishi Triton (watch this space for our first review on March 1), Mitsubishi Australia CEO Shaun Westcott told carsales the Japanese brand plans to double sales of PHEV versions of its two plug-in SUVs.
“The demand for that [PHEV] product is so intense,” said Westcott, adding that waiting lists continue to be long. “You can’t get one for nine months.”
Key to the Outlander PHEV’s appeal is its best-of-both-worlds proposition, which Westcott believes makes it the ideal car for Aussies ready to explore the benefits of an electric vehicle – both in the city and country.
“They don’t require that extensive charging network, which is why we have – at this point in time – chosen to go with a PHEV strategy,” he said.
“We think as a technology it’s not yet fully appreciated, maybe not fully understood.”
Whereas the dominant Toyota hybrids run purely on petrol – albeit using a lot less of it – the Outlander PHEV can be recharged externally and drive for a claimed 84km on electricity alone.
Its claimed average fuel consumption of 1.5L/100km is also a handy showroom tempter, even if owners later discover it uses much more than that once running in hybrid mode or when the battery is depleted.
Its claimed fuel use also translates to combined CO2 emissions of just 35g/km, which is well below the strict new-vehicle emissions standards due to start ramping up Down Under from 2025, and even blitzes the target for 2029.
The increased focus on EVs has helped create a situation where Mitsubishi says it cannot meet the demand for its Outlander and Eclipse Cross PHEVs.
In 2023 Mitsubishi sold 2274 Outlander PHEVs and 1296 Eclipse Cross PHEVs, according to figures supplied by the Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries (FCAI).
That works out to 9.4 per cent of Outlander sales and 16.6 per cent of Eclipse Cross sales.
Westcott is hoping to double those numbers in 2024.
“We’re hoping to get more supply this year,” he said. “So we’ve really pumped up our orders for this year. We’re hoping to double our sales on PHEV.”
Westcott said the challenge has been with manufacturing of the PHEV battery, which with a capacity of 20kWh is about one-third the size of many popular battery-electric vehicles, including Rear-Wheel Drive versions of the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.
But he said Mitsubishi head office (MMC) was working on solutions to help satisfy the demand.
“MMC have negotiated with our suppliers to increase our battery supply… we have secured better supply,” revealed Westcott.
Related: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV takes on the Outback
Related: Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV 2022 Review
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