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MMC Readies Plug-in Hybrid SUV for N. American Market
Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plans to bring its Outlander PHEV SUV to the American and eastern European markets as early as this year, says The Nikkei.
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Mitsubishi Motors Corp. plans to bring its Outlander PHEV SUV to the American and eastern European markets as early as this year, says The Nikkei.
MMC already sells the model in Japan and western Europe. The SUV will debut in Ukraine at the end of this year and spread to Russia and surrounding territories in early 2018.
Tightening emission rules are pushing carmakers to shift from traditional hybrid powertrains to plug-in versions that can travel farther in all-electric mode. The Nikkei points out that California, for example, will stop including standard hybrids in 2018 in its tally of "green" cars sold in the state.
The current Outlander PHEV is equipped with a 3.0-liter piston engine and two electric motors (one for each axle). An optional quick-charge system can restore 80% of battery capacity in 25 minutes.
MMC previewed its next-generation plug-in hybrid architecture last September when it unveiled the GT-PHEV concept SUV at the Paris auto show. The vehicle uses a piston engine developed specifically for hybrid powertrains and three electric motors: one in front and two in the rear to provide permanent all-wheel drive.
Japanese market researcher Fuji Keizai estimates that annual worldwide sales of plug-in vehicles will expand from a few hundred thousand units in 2005 to nearly 6.7 million vehicles by 2025.
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