SHANGHAI MOTOR SHOW: Mitsubishi Airtrek EV teased
Boxy mid-size electric SUV concept emerges in China; new Outlander-based EV could come to AustraliaThe Mitsubishi Airtrek EV has broken cover ahead of its world debut at Auto Shanghai 2021 this week, previewing an all-electric SUV based on the upcoming new Mitsubishi Outlander.
These official teaser images show a boxy, retro front-end design applied to what’s likely to be the fourth-generation Mitsubishi Outlander due on sale in Australia around September.
The Mitsubishi Airtrek – the name used for the original Outlander in Japan from 2001 and also a popular US footwear brand – will be produced by the Japanese car-maker’s partner Guangzhou Automobile Group (GAC) and released in China in late 2021.
John Signoriello, former Mitsubishi Australia managing director and now Mitsubishi’s global head of marketing and sales, said the new Airtrek is “designed exclusively for the Chinese market” and will “contribute to creating a sustainable mobility society”.
But while the Mitsubishi Airtrek is destined only for the Chinese market at this stage, overseas exports haven’t been ruled out.
“There are no plans for the Airtrek outside of China at this stage, but never say never,” said a Mitsubishi Australia spokesperson.
“At the moment we’re focussed on the Eclipse Cross PHEV [plug-in hybrid electric vehicle] and the new Outlander.”
Although the new Mitsubishi Airtrek will target the Chinese market, the exterior design is consistent with the Japanese brand’s global design language and wouldn’t look incongruous outside the world’s most populous nation.
The Japanese car-maker says the Airtrek EV revolves around the idea of an ‘e-cruising SUV’ that “…generates an image of advanced sophistication fit for an EV while incorporating MMC's consistent design identity, represented by its Dynamic Shield front design concept, and is styled to express the powerful performance expected of a Mitsubishi vehicle.”
Details are scarce at the moment but, as part of Mitsubishi’s industrial alliance with Renault and Nissan, the new Airtrek could share its EV powertrain with the upcoming Nissan Ariya, top versions of which deliver up to 600Nm of torque and a range of more than 600km.
Along with all of the new Outlander’s advances, the Airtrek is also likely to offer a range of technologies including the ultra-large touch-screen displays now demanded by Chinese customers.
Expect to see Mitsubishi leverage its Nissan-Renault ties with more EVs for global markets in the near future.
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