Automotive Fleet, August 2018

AUTOMOTIVE FLEET I AUGUST 2018 52 The plug in electric hybrid version of the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander has the potential to provide big gas savings Its 22 mile electric range makes it an ideal vehicle for fleets operating short city routes BY ERIC GANDARILLA A utomotive Fleet recently tested the 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and after some time behind the wheel its easy to see why its been the best selling PHEV in Europe for the past three years The vehicle offers plenty of room inside for passengers and cargo a 22 mile all electric range has the potential to cover a short route without dipping into the vehicles gasoline reserves and the instant acceleration that comes with an electric powertrain makes for a surprisingly nimble driving experience for a vehicle of its size Inside the vehicle holds a 12 kWh Lithium Ion main drive battery along with a 20L 4 cylinder gas powered engine Itll run on pure electric power until the battery depletes and then switch over to its gasoline engine Two 60 kW motors one in the back and one in the front of the vehicle helps provide instant torque smooth acceleration and an all wheel drive system Although the Outlander is a fairly large vehicle driving it in all electric mode didnt feel like I was behind the wheel of a 5000 pound SUV Driving uphill in allelectric mode presented little challenge even with five passengers and five passengers worth of luggage in the back Even overtaking vehicles wasnt too difficult in city streets thanks to the dual electric motors Charging stations are plentiful in Southern California so the 22 mile all electric range was enough to get me through my typical routes without using gasoline Thanks to the Outlanders DC Fast Charging capability recharging the vehicle took anywhere between 15 18 minutes depending on how close to empty the vehicle was The Outlander also supports Level 1 and 2 charging The cost of charging depended on how it was charged Level 2 charging took roughly two hours for a full charge and cost a little over 3 at a station As mentioned DC Fast Charging took about 15 18 minutes but cost about 8 Charging at home takes more than 10 hours for a full charge but based on the L A price of 18 cents per kWh it would cost about 2 for a full charge This price of course would vary depending on energy costs in different cities some public stations also provide free charging A 160 mile drive without recharging stations took about half of the Outlanders 113 gallon fuel tank netting an average 28 mpg Charging through that route would have led to better fuel efficiency Interior passenger space was comfortable There was plenty of room for five people and their luggage in the trunk With the back seats folded up the Outlander offers 304 cubic feet of cargo space Fold those seats down and cargo space jumps up to 78 cubic feet The Outlander PHEV shines the most in short range routes Its gasoline fuel economy is fair but the ability to drive the vehicle without using gasoline is the real draw Jeff Holland director public relations for Mitsubishi Motors North America noted that U S fleets have shown such interest in the Outlander PHEV that the company will be releasing a fleet specific trim for the upcoming model year Were working with one municipality that wanted to use it for their lifeguard service because with a 22 mile all electric range they wouldnt spend any money on gas by cruising on the beach and then recharging the battery said Holland Weve also talked to U S park services for their ranger fleet because they need the all wheel drive and utility that plug in sedans cant provide Energy fleets and municipalities have also shown a lot of interest for the vehicle he added The 2018 Outlander PHEV starts at 35915 for the SEL trim with destination included the GT trim starts at 41615 with destination included These prices are before federal and state EV incentives AF OUTLANDER PHEV The 2018 Outlander PHEV offers many levels of control to the driver in terms of how he or she wants to operate the vehicles hybrid system A battery save option switches the vehicle to its gasoline powered engine in order to save current battery levels A battery charge option turns on the engine to charge the battery for instances where a charging station isnt near DRIVING NOTES 2018 MITSUBISHI PHOTOS MIKE ANTICH