Mitsubishi's new GT-PHEV Concept is set to make its World Premiere at the Mondial de l'Automobile in Paris.
The new SUV is powered by an advanced plug-in hybrid EV (PHEV) system using triple motors. The centrepiece of the Mitsubishi stand, the GT-PHEV Concept, along with other plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEV) and 100% electric vehicles (EV), supports the “Driving Beyond: Another Step Forward with SUVs and Electric Power” theme of Mitsubishi’s Paris stand.
The GT-PHEV Concept is described as a ‘high-end next-generation SUV’. Featuring the brand’s latest design language, together with electric and all-wheel control technologies, the concept projects the image of what Mitsubishi is calling a “Ground Tourer” – a car made for cruising across a vast land. The front-end features a ‘Dynamic Shield’ design concept while, from the side, the GT-PHEV Concept uses horizontal lines to 'convey it’s high-end SUV styling and vehicle stability’. Inside, the SUV has a horizontal dashboard, while the cockpit-like interior ‘wraps around’ occupants and is finished in genuine Burgundy leather trim, colour coordinated with the exterior roof colour.
This car’s PHEV system comprises of a next-generation high-capacity drive battery package, three high-output and high-efficiency motors and an engine designed especially for the system - featuring improved electricity generation performance and motive performance.
This combination delivers a 'punchy performance' and makes for comfortable driving on longer trips. With an electric-only range of 75 miles and a combined hybrid cruising range of over 745 miles, the triple-motor powertrain, one unit at the front and two at the rear, delivers a dramatic improvement in the performance of its full-time, four-wheel drive powertrain according to Japanese automaker, while the Super All Wheel Control (S-AWC) integrated vehicle dynamics control system ‘brings new levels of handling stability’.
Onboard technology feeds back to the car the route information as well as data on weather and road surface conditions acquired from information networks, on-board sensors and cameras. This info allows the car to closely manage energy, such as electricity consumption and fuel economy as well as to provide all-wheel control best-suited to varying motoring situations.
The Mitsubishi eX Concept - a compact SUV powered by a next-generation EV system will also be at the show, joined by new European market versions of the Outlander and Outlander PHEV – all being shown for the first time.
The Outlander features a new floor console and improved interior trim quality as well as Forward Collision Mitigation System, now with a function to detect pedestrians, Blind Spot Warning and other advanced active safety systems.
The Outlander PHEV meanwhile, adopts an EV Priority Mode that gives greater priority to all-electric operation as well as the same advanced active safety systems as the Outlander.