Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV (PHEV): Details ahead of Paris debut

Mitsubishi has revealed more details on the plug-in hybrid electric Outlander ahead of a debut at the Paris Motor Show.

Mitsubishi has been threatening a hybrid version of the Outlander for a few years (we had the PX-MiEV at the Tokyo Motor Show in 2009 and the PX-MiEV II at last year’s Tokyo Show), but the real production deal – the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV – arrives at Paris.

Now, with a public debut imminent, and full production and deliveries planned for 2013, Mitsubishi has revealed more details of their plug-in hybrid as they try to make their reputation for tough off-roaders and bonkers performance cars a bit more fluffy-bunny.

Mitsubishi are claiming the Outlander PHEV as the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV, and that it has the environmental impact of an EV, the range of an ICE and the performance of an SUV.

There’s a choice of three driving modes, with EV using just the electric motors (one on each axle), Series using the ICE to charge the batteries and parallel which chucks the electric motors and the ICE at performance.

Mitsubishi claim a range of 34 miles on just the electric motors, but we’d be amazed, in the real world, if it’s anywhere close. And if you dare to press your right foot more than a gentle squeeze the ICE will cut in as the EVs are overwhelmed by demand.

But, in truth, that doesn’t matter. Because the point isn’t really to drive round in a fluffy-bunny SUV, it’s to garner headline economy and emissions from the daft official testing that will confer startling figures on a plug-in, helping average emissions for the car maker and tax breaks for the buyer.

To that end, you won’t be surprised to learn that Mitsubishi are claiming 172mpg from the Outlander PHEV and emissions that will make it VED and CC free and almost make the taxman pay you to drive it as a company car.

So if you are a company car driver, the new Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV could make a very sensible buy. Just don’t expect to get 172mpg.