Mitsubishi unboxes hybrid Xpander models in Thailand, is PH next?

MANILA: Mitsubishi Motors Corporation revealed that the Xpander nameplate now has spawned hybrid variants in Thailand.

The Japanese carmaker confirmed that its Thai arm has launched the Xpander hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and Xpander Cross HEV. The said new-energy multi-purpose vehicles are produced at the Laem Chabang Plant of Mitsubishi Motors (Thailand) Co., Ltd., facility in The Land of Smiles.

“The newly-added HEV models combine Mitsubishi Motors’ trademark electrification and all-wheel control technologies to raise the appeal of the Xpander series to another level. Newly developed based on the brand's plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, the HEV system delivers an eco-friendly and exhilarating driving experience unique to electrified vehicles,” Mitsubishi wrote in a press release.

Powering the Thai-market Xpander HEVs is a 1.6-liter gasoline engine complemented by a generator and a motor as well as a dedicated drive battery developed particularly for the said models.

Further, the 1.6-liter MIVEC powerplant “adopts a high expansion ratio cycle (Atkinson cycle) to achieve a higher level of combustion efficiency while also incorporating the first electric water pump ever used in a Mitsubishi Motors engine to reduce mechanical loss.”

The said setup not only improves torque and acceleration but also enhances the stand-alone fuel economy of the engine by around 10 percent (compared to the gasoline engine continuously variable transmission model) and boosts fuel consumption by approximately 15 to 34 percent based on the New European Driving Cycle test procedure.

On top of the new powertrain system, the Mitsubishi Xpander and Xpander Cross HEV models in Thailand also get seven newly developed drive modes, comprised of two EV-specific modes and five modes for optimal drive control according to road conditions.

They are EV Priority, Charge, Normal, Tarmac, Gravel, Mud, and Wet. These can be viewed on the Thailand-spec Mitsubishi Xpander HEV and Xpander Cross HEV’s eight-inch instrument panel.

Additionally, the said HEV models of the Mitsubishi Xpander and Xpander Cross are equipped with active yaw control. The feature — which made its debut on the Lancer Evolution IV — is designed to control “the braking force between the left and right front wheels; traction control, which controls driving force when front-wheel slippage is detected; acceleration control, which adjusts the output of the motors and engine during acceleration; and steering control, which adjusts steering response according to the speed range and road conditions.”

We are yet to hear from Mitsubishi Motor Philippines Corporation if they have plans of bringing the HEV models of the Xpander nameplate here in the country. With the positive response of the market to electrified cars, it is possible that many car buyers might be interested in purchasing the brand and the segment’s best-selling model, now with a cleaner powertrain, and more advanced features.

Will and when will it land in PH shores? Our guess is as good as yours.

Photos from Mitsubishi Motors Corporation

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