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More Delays for Mitsubishi's Outlander Plug-In Hybrid
Mitsubishi Motors Corp. now says the U.S. debut of its Outlander plug-in hybrid SUV won't happen until at least late 2015.
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Mitsubishi Motors Corp. now says the U.S. debut of its Outlander plug-in hybrid SUV won't happen until at least late 2015. The vehicle had been expected this year.
The latest glitch is a California requirement that the four-wheel-drive vehicle be equipped with an onboard battery monitoring system. MMC tells Automotive News that developing the feature will delay the model's American introduction for at least 18 months.
In the meantime, the company has sold about 35,000 Outlander plug-ins in markets that don't require a battery monitor. MMC expects annual volume to reach about 63,000 units by 2016, including U.S. sales.
The plug-in SUV launched in Japan in January 2013. But deliveries were hobbled by inadequate battery supplies. Then MMC suspended sales entirely for five months to restructure its battery manufacturing process. Output resumed last August, but the company postponed the vehicle's U.S. introduction while it filled some 18,000 backlogged orders in Europe, Japan and other markets.
The Outlander's powertrain consists of 60-kW electric motors powering the front and rear axles. A 2.0-liter 4-cylinder gasoline engine recharges the vehicle's 300-volt battery and drives the front wheels during high-speed driving.
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