At 100, Mitsubishi looks to the future
Century-old company says EVs, PHEVs will account for 20 per cent of overall sales by 2020
MTOKYO itsubishi Corporation is a huge organization with divisions that do everything from banking, building ships, rockets and a new regional jet, to brewing Kirin beer, producing Nikon cameras and, of course, making Mitsubishi Motors cars. The corporation touches every facet of Japanese life and accounts for 10 per cent of Japan’s GDP.
Mitsubishi will celebrate its 100th anniversary next year. Today, it is a company in transition. At first blush, the automotive side of the company looks like a bit player in the whole scheme of things, but with the recent alliance with the Renault/ Nissan group, it has gone from a million-cars-per-year company to a triumvirate that challenges the likes of Toyota. The alliance will sell some 10 million cars a year.
The new alliance does a number of good things in the short term, bringing everything from more purchasing clout, which reduces costs, to access to a viable financing arm beyond the traditional banking system, which also will reduce costs, a benefit to the consumer.
Beyond the immediate advantages, the alliance will grow to include platform, powertrain and technology sharing. Here the Renault/Nissan alliance will help, developing autonomous cars and the complex connectivity systems that are becoming a key selling feature.
The one thing that will not change, according to Osamu Masuko, chairman, president and chief executive of Mitsubishi Motors, is the look and feel of a Mitsubishi vehicle. In this regard, the company will operate autonomously and continue to follow its revamped Dynamic Shield design philosophy, revealed on recent concept crossovers, and the shift in focus that was put in place before the merger.
The new thrust will see Mitsubishi move away from many traditional segments, such as compact cars, and focus on two core areas. First, it will concentrate on electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). The goal is to transform 20 per cent of all sales into electric or PHEVs by 2020, which would mean around 200,000 vehicles a year worldwide. That is optimistic, given the current consumer malaise toward electric rides, although the popularity of the Outlander PHEV could change that outlook.
The Outlander PHEV also plays a key role in Mitsubishi’s “smart house,” which draws its power from the grid, solar panels and — in a switch — the electric car. In a blackout, the solar panels provide the bulk of the power, but the electric car’s battery would be used to make up any shortfall.
Asked if this focus would include embracing fuel-cell technology, Masuko said it would be part of the plan, but not the main focus because of the lack of a refuelling infrastructure. Batteries, he insisted, still represent the most viable way of shifting away from fossil fuel.
The second path concentrates on the crossover segment. As such, Mitsubishi will introduce a new model with an all-new powertrain. It will be shown in Geneva next year and will slot between the RVR and Outlander models. Beyond that, Mitsubishi is set to introduce Canada to the Outlander PHEV, a vehicle it says is the world’s top-selling plug-in hybrid.
Up front, the Outlander PHEV features a 2.0-litre four-cylinder engine, an electric motor and a generator. The rear end is powered by a second electric motor with a 12-kilowatt/hour lithium-ion battery under the vehicle and between the axles, where it consumes no interior space.
The gasoline side delivers 119 horsepower and 140 pound-feet of torque. The front motor delivers 80 hp and 101 lb-ft of torque. The rear motor chips in with another 80 hp and 144 lb-ft of torque. The lot combines to deliver a net system output of 200 hp and 244 lb-ft of torque, which gives it a lively work ethic and an electric-only driving range of more than 50 kilometres. The layout also gives the PHEV on-demand allwheel-drive ability.
Where the Outlander PHEV differs from most is there is no transmission; the engine and electric motors drive the PHEV directly through a single gear ratio. The engine and electric motor are controlled through two clutches that deliver three driving modes — EV, Series or Parallel. In EV mode, the Outlander runs on electric power alone, using both the front and rear motors. On a test drive I managed to put 130 km/h on the clock running on electric power alone.
In Series mode, the gas engine drives the generator, which provides power for the electric motors. Parallel mode uses both the gas engine and electric motors to drive the vehicle and provide maximum power.
For the most part, the system decides which mode to use, although the driver can use buttons to run on electric only, charge the battery (30 minutes of driving puts an 80 per cent charge back into the battery) or choose all-wheel drive. What was impressive was the manner in which the Outlander switched between modes. It was completely seamless and better than most hybrids, as the engine and electric motor are rev-matched before the switch occurs.
Around the proving ground’s highspeed oval it all proved to work very nicely. The acceleration was strong. While the specs say it takes 11 seconds to reach 100 km/h, it felt so much faster than the regular 2.4-L gas model tested recently.
Part of PHEV’s appeal had to do with the ability to alter the amount of regenerative braking. Paddle shifters allow the driver to pick between basically nothing to fullon regen in six stages, which brings serious slowing power without touching the brake pedal. On that note, the brake pedal is touchy, but as there was no mushiness it got an enthusiastic thumbs up. The Outlander PHEV is set to hit Canadian roads in late 2017.
How far the new Renault/Nissan/ Mitsubishi alliance will change things is anyone’s guess. But the synergies at play will strengthen all players and bring newer products sooner.