To house a hybrid powertrain as comprehensive as that found in the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II, you need something as sizable as, er, the Mitsubishi Concept PX-MiEV II. This five-passenger plug-in hybrid SUV concept made its debut here in Tokyo. It's a prelude to a similar vehicle that will, according to Mitsubishi boss Masuko, be introduced "sometime in the 2012 fiscal year."
So, really, the Concept PX-MiEV II is just an incidental wrapper for the hybrid propulsion bits that will probably end up in the Outlander. That fancy hybrid system works like this. Hit the jump.
It consists of two electric motors (one at each axle), two inverters, a large floor-mounted battery pack and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine mounted transversely at the front. Sharp readers will correctly deduce that this is an all wheel-drive hybrid, and that the rear wheels are driven solely by the electric motor a la Lexus RX450h.
At low speeds the PX-MiEV II operates in EV mode, where it is said to provide up to 31 miles of range. Give it some throttle and it switches to series hybrid mode where it summons the gasoline engine, and then to parallel hybrid mode at freeway speeds. Total driving range is 500 miles, assuming you don't top up the battery between trips.
No word on combined output or the type of battery, but lithium-ion and something in the 200 hp ballpark are safe bets. Betcha those brake-searing sealed-face wheels don't see the light of day, though.
--Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
rayzor says:
06:33 AM, 12/ 1/11
Nice design. Production ready. Built it!
transpower says:
09:27 AM, 12/ 1/11
I currently own a 2008 Mercury Mariner AWD Hybrid. Now that Ford has dropped Mercury and the Ford Escape Hybrid, I'm dropping Ford. I can say with about 99% certainty that this Mitsubishi is going to be my next vehicle. It's got superior operational economy and superior AWD!
cue28 says:
07:53 PM, 12/10/11
Is it just me or does the front end look kind of like the Land Rover Evoque and the rear above the bumber look like the Jeep grand Cherokee. Looks good though.
cue28 says:
07:54 PM, 12/10/11
Is it just me or does the front end look kind of like the Land Rover Evoque and the rear above the bumber look like the Jeep grand Cherokee. Looks good though.