I’m sure that there are people reading this who have been waiting for the US release of the Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid for literally years now…. So, most of you (who haven’t simply bought a different car in the meantime) may be disappointed to learn that the Japanese company is apparently only expecting to sell 6,000 units of the 2016 model year in the US.
The Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is expected to hit the US market in May, and to be slowly rolled out as inventory arrives — with monthly sales therefore projected to lie at over 1,000 units per month (assuming relatively even sales through the year).
Given the repeated delays to date, though, perhaps the May launch date should be taken with a grain of salt.
Automotive News provides more:
Mitsubishi expects to sell as many as 6,000 of the gasoline-electric crossovers in the U.S. in 2016, (Mitsubishi CEO Osamu) Masuko said. The new crossover/SUV and next year’s arrival of the Outlander PHEV are further proof that Mitsubishi has no plan to exit the US, despite the fact it will end vehicle production at its only North America assembly plant in November, Masuko said.
“The US is a big market, and of course we’re going to be continuing sales there,” Masuko said. In July, Mitsubishi said it will stop manufacturing vehicles at its Normal, Ill., factory as part of global realignment to concentrate production in Japan, Russia and Southeast Asia. Mitsubishi wants to sell the factory, but will shutter it if no buyer can be found. Masuko said the search for a buyer is still on.
“We still don’t have a promising buyer yet, but we haven’t given up,” he said.
Interesting situation. I’d caution that maybe those still waiting for the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV may want to just go ahead and consider a different option.