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Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution XI may go electric

MITSUBISHI LANCER
By Alborz Fallah
FIND DEALS

Mitsubishi remains tightlipped on the future of its iconic Lancer Evolution sports car as the company shifts its focus away from traditional petrol vehicles into electric and petrol-assisted electric models.

Speaking to the media at today’s Sydney motor show, Mitsubishi Motors’ global president, Osamu Masuki, said he’s considering a next-generation Evolution that also addresses the environmental issues, hinting that the Evo XI may indeed be offered with some form of electrification.

Masuki spoke at great length about the company’s involvement in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb (PPIHC) this year, which it entered with two Mitsubishi i-MiEV electric cars. The company’s performance (2nd in electric class) hinted that Mitsubishi believes in electrified cars for its performance models.

“We wanted to find the limitations of EV (electric vehicles). (We now) have quite a lot of information after doing this.” Masuki said.

Mitsubishi is already planning to reenter the race next year and win not only in its class, but beat the petrol cars as well.

At this year’s Paris motorshow in September, the company’s head of PHEV (plugin hybid electric vehicles) development, Kanenori Okamoto, told CarAdvice that although the next generation Evolution hasn’t officially been confirmed, it’s one of the very important assets of the company. He said that it’s time for the Evolution to evolve to face a new world.

“As far as Evolution is concerned, now we are facing a new world, which means that we could design an evolution of new era with this spirit. We are always trying to activate our sport car development” Okamoto said.

Would you buy an electrified Evolution XI?


 

  • pixxxels

    An electric Evo…

    Mitsubishi has been hammering nails into its own coffin for so long now that it has cracked open and a foul stench is seeping out. 

  • Monk

    Maybe an electric blue Evo would be ok. 
    Whwere are you going to find a power socket on the old road?

    • Ben

      Current-gen
      plug-in hybrids have equal or indeed better range than an equiv. ICE
      model and next-gen can only be more efficient and better performing (of which would include the XI, be it in the form of a PHEV).

      If there’s money to back up the talk, there’s exciting times ahead for Mitsubishi and the performance market!

  • Acfsambo7

    Go to a NS Engine powering the rears with 2 electric motors powering the front. They can keep the 300 odd HP from the 2.0L four and have each electric motor at say 50HP (tied in with the S-AWD system of course).

  • Dave W

    My problem is the weight and space. How much heavier would battery packs make this car?

    Not only that, both the Evo and WRX sedans are 5 doors models and are relatively practical cars. How much space would have to be sacrificed for the batteries?

    I would rather have them use a super capacitor like the CR-Z to save weight and space rather than a full battery pack like the usual hybrids. Of course that’ll make the car more expensive.

  • JamesB

    Price is the Evo X’s biggest issue. The Lexus IS350 costs the same, looks just as good, goes just as quick, but is made of quality materials inside and can certainly be used everyday. If this electric version would end up with a higher sticker, then it’s a fail even before being made.

    • Dave W

      You can’t really compare the two cars. The Lexus is just a RWD luxury sports sedan whereas the Evo is a focused AWD sports car.

    • Hung Low

      How are they a comparable cross shop? The evo is a more hardcore, track orientated beast that is easily tuneable to extract more performance. It is the still a bang for buck King. The Lexus is a nice car but has a different audience.

    • rtard

      What is it with retards saying an IS350 goes as hard as an evo? Drugs.. lays off them bro.

    • Jerome S

      Why does every Evo article bring out is350 fan boys? 

      • cliocup200 fanboi

        my Renault Clio Cup would smoke both of these cars

        • Dom

          My Coffee Cup would smoke your Clio!

        • F1orce

          Yeah perhaps on the tracks..

          But straight line performance you’ll not be able to catch up with the IS350 Lexus 

          I’ve driven both cars lol 

          • Ironcyberia

            Nope, I was eating the rear bumper of a friend IS350 with my 2010 ralliart, so I guest an EVO would have eaten the whole car. He had to pay Lexus to reprogram the ecu to achieve some  performance that may compete with an evo. Stock VS stock an evo win for sure

  • Frank

    How much could we expect to pay for Petrol/Electric EVO? We’re already paying way over the top for the EVO X, compared to the US. I can only imagine.

  • cheesegypsy

    One look at the Tesla S vs the M5 off the line tells you why an electric/petrol car is a winner. No petrol car competes in that first second.

    • F1orce

      Electric cars have maximum torque at 0 rpm..

      That maybe true, but the torque falls of as soon as they’re at 1 rpm and continues to fall as the revs climb 

      Which is why all electrical appliances such as the Tesla Model-S & Blendtec blenders have that strong power rush in that split second when you give them power.. 

      Let’s face it, not only did that M5 have a very terrible launch, M5′s are not known for straight line performance. Besides watch how fast the M5 was closing onto the Model-S..

  • Wile E Coyote

    Hope it comes with a V8 engine CD .

  • Wile E Coyote

    Hope it comes with a V8 engine CD .