Sharp price for Eclipse Cross PHEV
Mitsubishi will launch Australia’s cheapest plug-in hybrid, with three electrified versions of its Eclipse Cross small SUV now joining its mid-sized Outlander PHEV range next month.
Priced from $46,490 plus on-road costs, the Eclipse Cross PHEV, plugin hybrid electric vehicle, undercuts its larger Outlander PHEV sibling by $1500 and slips $100 under the Kia Niro PHEV with which it shares a segment.
The Chinese-made MG HS PHEV mid-size SUV is more expensive by $500 and Hyundai’s Ioniq PHEV small car opens $1460 higher than the electrified Eclipse Cross.
Mitsubishi’s second electrified model – third if the long-discontinued allelectric IMIEV is included – goes on sale mid August and like the Outlander, will be available in three variants.
The entry-level ES will be $46,490, the mid-spec Aspire, $49,990 and the flagship Exceed is $53,990 – all plus costs. This is $1500 less than the equivalent Outlander ES PHEV, down $2500 on the Outlander GSR and $2500 lower than the Outlander Exceed.
Like the Outlander PHEV, the new electrified Eclipse Cross is only a five-seater.
Mitsubishi’s expansion of its PHEV range reflects increasing buyer interest in hybrids, capped last week with Toyota announcing it has sold more than 200,000 hybrids in Australia since its first Prius of 2001.
However, Toyota does not offer a plug-in hybrid in its model range.
The advantages of plugging in are a greater battery storage for a longer electric-only range.
Mitsubishi quotes an electric-only range of 55km for the Eclipse Cross PHEV, 1km more than the Outlander PHEV.
The new Mitsubishi PHEV joins its recently updated petrol-fuelled siblings that underwent revisions including a 140mm longer body that enlarges the luggage space, more safety and convenience features and a new tailgate design for better rear vision.
Its longer body, which remains on the same platform and 2670mm wheelbase, has a 359-litre cargo area, reduced from the NON-PHEV car’s 405 litres because of the battery pack.
The Eclipse Cross PHEV uses the same drivetrain as the Outlander, with a 94kw-199nm 2.4-litre petrol engine supplemented by two electric motors operating in full EV, hybrid or petrol-only modes, driving through an automatic transmission.
It is an all-wheel drive or front-drive depending on the application of the rear-mounted electric motor.
Recharging takes as low as 25 minutes for an 80 percent charge on a rapid-charge outlet, and up to seven hours when hooked up to a standard household socket.
Like the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, the new model offers advanced
Vehicle to Home, V2H, and Vehicle to Grid, V2G, capabilities that allows the car to power external infrastructure, including a house.
The company’s Dendo rooftop solar and battery system for homes can generate, store and transfer energy between the building and a Mitsubishi PHEV via a smart-energy management system.
Because a PHEV can generate its own power when fuelled, it is also a short-term ‘generator on wheels’ in instances when power fails, such as in natural disasters.
In announcing the new PHEV line up, Mitsubishi Motors Australia Ltd chief executive Shaun Westcott said the arrival of the Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross Plug-in Hybrid EV completed the renewal of the Eclipse Cross SUV range in Australia.
“It brings a proven and successful zero or low emission powertrain that will meet the real-world needs of Australian SUV buyers looking to reduce their environmental impact,” he said.
Mitsubishi sold 3521 Eclipse Cross models in the six months to June this year. This was up 67.5 percent on the same period in 2020.
The Eclipse Cross has a 5.2 percent share of the sub-$40,000 small SUV sector.