Mitsubishi Triton hybrid to out-power Outlander PHEV

The next-generation Mitsubishi Triton ute will employ a number of electrified powertrains in its attempt to close the sales gap with the dominant Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, including a potent plug-in hybrid (PHEV) system.

Just as the new Ford Ranger is ‘package-protected’ for mild-hybrid, full hybrid and full electric powertrains, both PHEV and battery-electric EV versions of the new Triton are on the table, according to the new Mitsubishi Outlander’s chief engineer Kentaro Honda.

In Australia for the national media launch of the new Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-In Hybrid EV, as it will now be called, Honda-san said the next-generation Triton PHEV will not simply transplant the Outlander PHEV’s powertrain, but offer a more powerful version of the 185kW/450Nm four-cylinder petrol-electric powertrain.

“We have a choice between BEV truck or hybrid truck, but… for this Australian country I think hybrid and the PHEV is our best solution, so we are now studying when and how to introduce that,” said Honda.

The senior engineer told carsales that two electric motors supporting a combustion engine is the layout of choice, but the 98kW 2.4-litre four-cylinder petrol engine in the Outlander PHEV will need beefing up, as will the two electric motors and 20kWh battery pack.

“This system is not strong enough for the truck category,” said the chief engineer. “We want to have more power. More torque [is] required for towing.”

The Outlander’s three motors generate a combined 185kW of power and 450Nm of torque, which is more than the 133kW/430Nm outputs of the current Triton’s 2.4-litre turbo-diesel, but the Outlander can only tow 1600kg.

The upcoming Mitsubishi Triton hybrid will need a lot more gristle if it’s to retain the diesel’s 3100kg towing capacity and its broad-spectrum appeal among ute buyers.

Any electrified version of the new Mitsubishi Triton will also need to be competitive in a ute market in which the most popular variants of the two best-sellers now offer about 150kW/500Nm.

Exactly how much power and torque the first Mitsubishi Triton hybrid ute will generate remains to be seen, but a target of more than 200kW and 600Nm will likely be required to counter the circa-300kg of extra weight the electric motors and battery will add, while meeting customer expectations for payload and towing.

While it won’t be cheap, there’s every chance the next Triton’s new plug-in hybrid EV powertrain could give the Ford Ranger V6 diesel (184kW/600Nm) a headache in terms of performance and cruising range.

The Triton PHEV also promises to deliver superior practicality for both tradies and the adventure set, via vehicle-to-load (V2L) functionality.

Introduced on the new Outlander PHEV, the V2L system incorporates a pair of regular three-pin 240-volt power outlets that can charge electrical appliances, like the Nissan LEAF.

“As a tradie, you can recharge your angle grinder, drills, you name it, in the back of your truck,” said Westcott.

“For us that’s the logical path to go down, which reinforces why we believe plug-in hybrid is the right technology,” added the Mitsubishi Australia CEO, noting that PHEV tech is better suited to Australia than EV given the lack of public battery charging infrastructure compared to other countries.

“If you look at one of our core markets for Triton, it’s provincial and rural, and Australia’s a big country, and that farm out there is not going to have a charging station. The logical step is not BEV.”

Westcott said the new Triton ute will be “bigger, better, more premium” and that the hybrid versions will set a new price ceiling for the brand.

The existing Mitsubishi Triton range, which continues to be Australia’s third most popular ute behind the Toyota HiLux and Ford Ranger, currently tops out at $55,690 plus on-road costs for the GSR dual-cab 4x4 auto, while its SUV equivalent – the Mitsubishi Pajero Sport GSR – costs $61,440 plus ORCs.

Both GSR models could be topped by a locally-developed final-edition tough-truck version of the current Triton that could be called the Raider and would be aimed at the Nissan Navara Pro-4X Warrior (from $68,090).

However, Mitsubishi says the new Triton line-up will continue to include affordable entry-level variants.

“We understand who our core market is, and that is middle-income Australia. That’s who we are for, primarily. We will not abandon them,” said Westcott.

“We’re going to do [a more premium ute] through a model line-up improvement. You see it with Outlander – we still have ES, we still have LS, we still have a product that’s there for the fleet customer, the rental market.

“I wouldn’t call it bare-bones basic, but we still have a product for them.”

The Triton hybrid ute range may also expand to include more affordable HEV or plugless hybrid powertrains, but any electrified variants are unlikely to be launched alongside conventional diesel models and may arrive a couple of years after mainstream vehicles.

That could still see the first Mitsubishi Triton hybrid become available by around 2025, which could beat the first Ranger hybrid – and almost certainly the first Toyota HiLux hybrid – to market.

Westcott wouldn’t say exactly when the next-generation Mitsubishi Triton will launch in Australia due to the current global supply chain crisis, but it’s understood the vehicle will be unveiled in the first half of 2023, followed by first local deliveries late next year.

“I can’t give you a specific indication for timing,” he said. “The challenge that we have is that we have even more complexity and uncertainty in supply chains than what we had.

“We don’t want to launch the vehicle prematurely. Some OEMs – and it’s not their fault – have made that mistake. They hit the market early and then out of their control semi-conductors and everything else [impacts supply].”

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