Mitsubishi Outlander Hybrid Scored Tech Of The Year Award (VIDEO)

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Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV
Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV at EVS 27 in Barcelona.
Image Credit: Zachary Shahan / CleanTechnica / EV Obsession (available for republishing under a CC BY-SA license).

Mitsubishi has been quiet in recent years, with the Mitsubishi i-MiEV runabout being, arguably, the most significant product launch for the company in the last five or six years. That’s all about to change, however, with the launch of the new Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid, a 7-passenger SUV that features all-wheel drive, thanks to a pair of electric motor packs, and a range-extending gas engine. The tech shown was good enough to win the RJC’s tech of the year award last week — you can read about that below, in an article which originally appeared on Gas 2.


Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Picks Up Tech Award

Mitsubishi Outlander Hybrid

The Automotive Researchers and Journalists Conference (RJC) recently met in Japan to award the upcoming Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid SUV with its ultimate clean tech award, the RJC “technology of the year” award for 2014.

The Mitsubishi Outlander’s hybrid EV System features a high-capacity battery that sends juice to separate front and rear motors, and uses the gas engine primarily as an electrical generator. The gas engine can be engaged to drive the wheels whenever the ECU decides that’s the most efficient way of moving the SUV forward in a given driving condition – just like Chevy’s own plug-in hybrid Volt, except with all-wheel drive and room for more passengers.

After many years without significant new product offerings in the US, Mitsubishi seems to be on a bit of a roll of late. The Mirage CVT we tested last week was light, nimble, and fun around town, as well as generally adequate on the highway — not bad for being the highest MPG car you can buy (that’s not a hybrid). The company’s new Outlander Sport Crossover recently received the independent IIHS’ highest Top Safety Pick + safety rating, an honor it shares with a few Volvos and Tesla’s über-safe Model S sedan. Good for them.

You can find out more about Mitsubishi’s elegant plug-in hybrid system in the video, below, and let us know what you think of this extra-big AWD Volt-ish SUV in the comments at the bottom of this page. Enjoy!

http://youtu.be/9XIpZciSBbc

Source: Automotive Design.


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