Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
Discussion
I've just been reading about it, and I'm intrigued.
Proper plug-in hybrid EV with up to 32 miles range on EV alone. Can operate in all the usual hybrid modes (EV only, EV + engine, EV with engine acting as generator etc.).
Proper 4x4 drivetrain with mild off road capabilities and acceptable performance. The 0-60 time is not that great, but you get the typical EV flat torque curve.
Seemingly no compromise with the EV stuff. It looks the same as the diesel version apart from some badges. Boot space, leg room etc. is basically the same as the diesel version. It costs the same as the diesel version. And you can tow with it.
Like all PHEVs it has comically unrealistic official fuel consumption figures, but early feedback from owners suggests that even if you drive it normally and never plug it in, the fuel consumption is pretty good for a 4x4 SUV.
According to Mitsubishi they are selling really well in Europe.
What is the downside?
Has anyone seen or tried one? I think they have only just been launched in the UK. I am quite tempted to contact a dealer and go and have a look.
Proper plug-in hybrid EV with up to 32 miles range on EV alone. Can operate in all the usual hybrid modes (EV only, EV + engine, EV with engine acting as generator etc.).
Proper 4x4 drivetrain with mild off road capabilities and acceptable performance. The 0-60 time is not that great, but you get the typical EV flat torque curve.
Seemingly no compromise with the EV stuff. It looks the same as the diesel version apart from some badges. Boot space, leg room etc. is basically the same as the diesel version. It costs the same as the diesel version. And you can tow with it.
Like all PHEVs it has comically unrealistic official fuel consumption figures, but early feedback from owners suggests that even if you drive it normally and never plug it in, the fuel consumption is pretty good for a 4x4 SUV.
According to Mitsubishi they are selling really well in Europe.
What is the downside?
Has anyone seen or tried one? I think they have only just been launched in the UK. I am quite tempted to contact a dealer and go and have a look.
AmitG said:
According to Mitsubishi they are selling really well in Europe.
Yeah, I remember reading that this is selling exceptionally well in Holland for some reason (presume tax incentives).http://insideevs.com/98-9-of-the-2766-mitsubishi-o...
I have one - delivered in November last year.
Financially, here in the Netherlands it's a complete no-brainer. As a company car, BIK is 0%, for 60 months for cars registered in 2013. As company cars here include fuel by default, this means that the Outlander is going to cost me the sum total of exactly nothing for 5 years. There were also some quite considerable grants for my employer as well, so everyone (with the possible exception of the Dutch government) was happy.
Unsurprisingly, the country is now crawling with Outlanders and our local Mitsubishi dealer must think it's Christmas! I believe about 8000 or so made it here before 31st Dec last year, although more had been ordered. This year the BIK is 7%, so it's still a steal compared to anything else.
Ignoring the money part, it's still a nice car. Previous family bus was a 2.0 petrol Qashqai +2. The Outlander is certainly bigger, and drives pretty much as well. I think the 11 second 0-60 is a but pessimistic - certainly around town it is brisk. To drive it's rather reminiscent of one of those surprisingly big American V6s that you used to get in hire cars (think 4.0 Mustang, 3.8 GM things) that give a good old thump away from the lights but run out of ideas at 4000 rpm. Mitsubishi said that they were aiming for the PHEV to feel like the 3.0 V6 Outlander (which also has about 200 hp) and I suspect that they've achieved that.
The rest of the drive is pretty much as you'd expect - not something you'd try to drive hard, but a pleasant wafter.
Does high 30s mpg if the battery is not charged externally. You can charge in 3 - 5 hours (depending on what you've plugged it into) and that gives you about 30 - 40 km electric range. So if you're not going on a long motorway journey, then the petrol consumption is mainly determined by how often you charge it. I can see that it would be perfectly possible to use no petrol at all to commute if you lived maybe 15-20 miles from work and could charge at home and during the day.
The whole transmission / engine / battery / motors arrangement is very effective, in the sense that you rarely notice it at all. The engine will switch in and out as needed and at low speeds is barely audible. You do get a bit of a CVT high revs thing going if you put your foot down.
I am rather taken with the adjustable regenerative brakes - you can pretty much drive using just the throttle pedal, as the top level of regen is really quite strong.
As they are going to be about the same price in the UK, I can't really imagine why anyone would buy the diesel version. The PHEV is definitely a 'likeable' thing - a friendly sort of car, if you get my drift.
Financially, here in the Netherlands it's a complete no-brainer. As a company car, BIK is 0%, for 60 months for cars registered in 2013. As company cars here include fuel by default, this means that the Outlander is going to cost me the sum total of exactly nothing for 5 years. There were also some quite considerable grants for my employer as well, so everyone (with the possible exception of the Dutch government) was happy.
Unsurprisingly, the country is now crawling with Outlanders and our local Mitsubishi dealer must think it's Christmas! I believe about 8000 or so made it here before 31st Dec last year, although more had been ordered. This year the BIK is 7%, so it's still a steal compared to anything else.
Ignoring the money part, it's still a nice car. Previous family bus was a 2.0 petrol Qashqai +2. The Outlander is certainly bigger, and drives pretty much as well. I think the 11 second 0-60 is a but pessimistic - certainly around town it is brisk. To drive it's rather reminiscent of one of those surprisingly big American V6s that you used to get in hire cars (think 4.0 Mustang, 3.8 GM things) that give a good old thump away from the lights but run out of ideas at 4000 rpm. Mitsubishi said that they were aiming for the PHEV to feel like the 3.0 V6 Outlander (which also has about 200 hp) and I suspect that they've achieved that.
The rest of the drive is pretty much as you'd expect - not something you'd try to drive hard, but a pleasant wafter.
Does high 30s mpg if the battery is not charged externally. You can charge in 3 - 5 hours (depending on what you've plugged it into) and that gives you about 30 - 40 km electric range. So if you're not going on a long motorway journey, then the petrol consumption is mainly determined by how often you charge it. I can see that it would be perfectly possible to use no petrol at all to commute if you lived maybe 15-20 miles from work and could charge at home and during the day.
The whole transmission / engine / battery / motors arrangement is very effective, in the sense that you rarely notice it at all. The engine will switch in and out as needed and at low speeds is barely audible. You do get a bit of a CVT high revs thing going if you put your foot down.
I am rather taken with the adjustable regenerative brakes - you can pretty much drive using just the throttle pedal, as the top level of regen is really quite strong.
As they are going to be about the same price in the UK, I can't really imagine why anyone would buy the diesel version. The PHEV is definitely a 'likeable' thing - a friendly sort of car, if you get my drift.
Edited by Carfield on Thursday 10th April 09:54
Thanks Carfield, that was great information 
I am getting tempted. Initially I was thinking of buying one and using it just as a hybrid without plugging it in. But it seems that the mpg is not very interesting like that. High 30s for a midsize SUV is OK but not exceptional. Were you using US or UK gallons?
But doing some research, it seems there are quite a few charging stations around now so using it as a proper plug-in is starting to look viable.
I may go to a local Mitsubishi dealer and have a looksie.
I am getting tempted. Initially I was thinking of buying one and using it just as a hybrid without plugging it in. But it seems that the mpg is not very interesting like that. High 30s for a midsize SUV is OK but not exceptional. Were you using US or UK gallons?
But doing some research, it seems there are quite a few charging stations around now so using it as a proper plug-in is starting to look viable.
I may go to a local Mitsubishi dealer and have a looksie.
I've had a check of the on-board computer this morning - the all time average is currently 39 mpg (UK gallons).
But, for practical reasons we've not really been charging at all, so that 's very much the pure hybrid figure. That's also been on winter tyres (not that they've been needed this year) and mainly short journeys / school run etc.
We are now able to charge (as of a couple of weeks ago, although we're not particularly diligent about it) and the current tank average is 81 mpg.
I meant to add to the initial post, that the oddest sensation about the Outlander is that (in hybrid terms) it will run on just electricity to normal motorway speeds. If I recall correctly, it's not until 75mph that the petrol engine is certain to engage.
But, for practical reasons we've not really been charging at all, so that 's very much the pure hybrid figure. That's also been on winter tyres (not that they've been needed this year) and mainly short journeys / school run etc.
We are now able to charge (as of a couple of weeks ago, although we're not particularly diligent about it) and the current tank average is 81 mpg.
I meant to add to the initial post, that the oddest sensation about the Outlander is that (in hybrid terms) it will run on just electricity to normal motorway speeds. If I recall correctly, it's not until 75mph that the petrol engine is certain to engage.
Ah ha!
The newcastle main dealer got their demonstrator this weekend - I just popped in in passing, it still has all plastic wrapping on, but its not been pdi'd yet, should be on the road later this week.
It looks well in the flesh, plenty of cabin room as you might expect and a decent sized boot.
This looks like a decent alternative to our jeep cherokee - Ok it wont have the character or V6 rumble of the jeep, but the savings in petrol will cover most of the cost I reckon - the wife does about 30miles a day, so the outlander should be in EV mode almost all the time
The newcastle main dealer got their demonstrator this weekend - I just popped in in passing, it still has all plastic wrapping on, but its not been pdi'd yet, should be on the road later this week.
It looks well in the flesh, plenty of cabin room as you might expect and a decent sized boot.
This looks like a decent alternative to our jeep cherokee - Ok it wont have the character or V6 rumble of the jeep, but the savings in petrol will cover most of the cost I reckon - the wife does about 30miles a day, so the outlander should be in EV mode almost all the time
I had a brief test drive a couple of days ago...... I was pleasantly surprised, well equipped, all the space most people would need and it drove well (my test drive was literally round the block, max speed 50 mph so no motorway). I would want (& was offered) a longer test drive at a later date before committing. The drive train tech is really clever and the switch between electric only, petrol engine charging the batteries and electric/petrol both powering the car is smooth and unobtrusive. As a company car it makes a lot of sense, if you are considering company car options it is definitely worth a test drive......
I had a brief test drive a couple of days ago...... I was pleasantly surprised, well equipped, all the space most people would need and it drove well (my test drive was literally round the block, max speed 50 mph so no motorway). I would want (& was offered) a longer test drive at a later date before committing. The drive train tech is really clever and the switch between electric only, petrol engine charging the batteries and electric/petrol both powering the car is smooth and unobtrusive. As a company car it makes a lot of sense, if you are considering company car options it is definitely worth a test drive......
Just popped in to join the debate as potentially this could be a great company car option!
On the GX4hs with a list of circa £40k and including personal fuel benefit it's a shade over £100 a month - which is not far off £300 cheaper than my £30k VW CC.
It also reinforces what a complete tool I was for not looking into CCT when I last got one. It was more of a "yeah I'll have that" without any research whatsoever.
On the GX4hs with a list of circa £40k and including personal fuel benefit it's a shade over £100 a month - which is not far off £300 cheaper than my £30k VW CC.
It also reinforces what a complete tool I was for not looking into CCT when I last got one. It was more of a "yeah I'll have that" without any research whatsoever.
DSLiverpool said:
AB said:
I wonder how you'd go about reclaiming the cost of charging it from your company if it was a company car?
Probably cheaper not to and agree to bang in the odd expenses meal instead?Gassing Station | EV and Alternative Fuels | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff