Mitsubishi Motors isn’t new to electric vehicles with the i-MiEV being the best-known of its previous offerings. However, after not offering an EV in the U.S. for years, the Japanese automakers is getting back the game with a familiar name: the 2027 Eclipse Sportback.
Mitsubishi plans to return to the mainstream EV market later this year with the new Eclipse Sportback.
The company released the first pictures of its new EV, which is expected to get a formal introduction to the public before its arrival in “the second half of this year,” officials noted. Some might think adding an EV a curious choice by Mitsubishi’s leadership, but since it’s based off the Nissan Leaf, that takes some of the danger away.
The Eclipse Sportback will be differentiated from the new Leaf with a slew of cosmetic changes, including entirely different front and rear fascias.
Ongoing journey
The all-new Eclipse Sportback EV continues Mitsubishi Motors’ electrification journey, which goes back to the 1970s when it first started developing fully electric vehicles in Japan. The world’s first mass-produced electric vehicle, the i-MiEV, went on sale in select markets in 2009, and arrived in the U.S. and Canada in late 2011. A year later, the Outlander PHEV, the world’s first plug-in hybrid SUV, was introduced globally, arriving in North America in 2018.
The Eclipse Sportback borrows heavily from the the Nissan Leaf.
Offering a mainstream EV is part of the brand’s Momentum 2030 business plan, which features a path to electrification as one of its four key pillars, officials noted. The others include: a renewed and expanded product lineup, a modernized retail sales model, and a strengthened partnership with the dealer network.
Mitsubishi’s plans call for a new or significantly updated vehicle annually until 2020. The Eclipse Sportback isn’t the only new offering come for 2027, according to the company. A new, rugged off-road derivative of the Outlander SUV is expected to arrive early next year. Pricing for the new model wasn’t revealed.
What’s in a name
The i-MiEV was the last EV sold by Mitsubishi before it revealed the new Eclipse Sportback.
Mitsubishi’s decision to use familiar names isn’t a surprise. Between the Outlander and Eclipse, the company’s managed to survive. However, research apparently shows the names are good for the company.
According to Ipsos NVCS:
- 96% of compact CUV owners who shopped for a Mitsubishi Outlander purchased one.
- 94% of subcompact CUV owners who shopped for a Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross purchased one.
- 97% of small CUV owners who shopped for a Mitsubishi Outlander Sport purchased one.
- 92% of plug-in hybrid owners who shopped for a Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid purchased one.
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