Mitsubishi introduced the first plug-in hybrid SUV, the Outlander PHEV.
Mitsubishi launched the Outlander PHEV in Japan in 2013 and marketed it as the world’s first mass-produced plug-in hybrid SUV. The vehicle combined a rechargeable battery with electric motors and a gasoline engine, bringing plug-in electric driving to a practical crossover body.
The Outlander PHEV was based on Mitsubishi’s Outlander crossover SUV and used electric motors at the front and rear to provide an all-wheel-drive system. Drivers could charge the battery from an external power source for daily electric driving, while the gasoline engine extended capability on longer journeys.
This was different from a conventional hybrid such as the standard Toyota Prius, whose battery is charged mainly through regenerative braking and the engine. A plug-in hybrid can draw substantial energy from the electrical grid, allowing more routine trips to be completed without burning gasoline.
The Outlander PHEV helped establish the modern plug-in hybrid SUV category. Mitsubishi later sold it across Europe, Oceania, North America, and other markets, where its combination of SUV space, electric driving, and long-distance flexibility distinguished it from smaller plug-in cars.