Mitsubishi holds high hope for the petrol-electric editions.

EXPECTED volume for the plug-in hybrid version of the Eclipse Cross might at least equal counts being achieved by a well-received big brother whose petrol-electric drivetrain it adopts.

That view is expressed by Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand’s head of marketing, Reece Congdon, who anticipates seeing the new 2.4-litre version of the brand’s compact crossover to achieve up to 50 sales a month.

Achieving this performance will elevate the total Eclipse Cross monthly sales tally by at least a third and almost matching the established PHEV Outlander, which often imprints top dog position in its sector.

Touted as having an electric-only range of 55 kilometres, the new car is coming on sale next month in two liveries, VRX and a higher-provisioned XLS fitout, with launch prices $9000 below their eventual full recommended retails.

The entry XLS, subject to the promotional price of $49,990, plus on-roads, will eventually lift to $58,990 while the VRX edition will ultimately become a $65,990 ask, but will release initially at $56,990.

The cheaper of the two therefore releases $6000 above the price of the current range-topper, a 1.5-litre pure petrol VRX.

Congdon says there is flexibility about how long the launch special stickers will hold. There is no pre-established period nor a specific volume target.

Realistically, everything came down to stock availability, with acknowledgement that the brand is among many being affected by the global shortage of semiconductor computer chips.

That situation means new vehicle availability in NZ is down 50 percent on the same period of 2020 and most makes are carrying little in reserve. It’s a tough situation given new car vehicle demand is especially high.

“It’s hard to tell with stock the way it is at the moment but we would expect the price(s) to be in place for the first three months, if not six.”

MMNZ often releases new product with a special price and there was no requisite to how long these had to be maintained.

“It’s at our discretion. Obviously, we have a RRP but we often launch with special prices … sometimes these might last for years but in this case it will be for a short duration.”

He expects the PHEV to become immediately significant, but exactly how intense the take-up will be is still guesswork. The best barometer was to consider the current rate of sale for the purely petrol editions of this car and of the Outlander.

“We currently sell around 100 to 150 Eclipse Cross a month. If we use Outlander as an example it has been achieving upwards of 300 units a month with the PHEV achieving another 20 percent on top of that. 

“I think if we achieve around 30-50 (Eclipse Cross PHEV) we would be very happy. 

The current Outlander is at the end of its model life, with a new-generation car built upon a fresh platform coming soon.

However, while that model will retain the pure petrol and PHEV choices provisioned with the current line, the launch will be staggered – petrols coming first, and before the end of the year, and the next PHEV arriving in early 2022, all going well. 

However, Congdon has indicated that MMNZ is confident there will be not be any particular time when Eclipse PHEV is left in the market on its own.

The two options are unlikely to fight over common customers. The Eclipse Cross PHEV is being aimed less at the family sector, where Outlander does well, and more at young professional lifestyles.

The new model’s drivetrain is the same 2.4-litre twin electric motor S-AWC configuration that has driven the current Outlander PHEV during its seven years in this market. The combined electric motor output of 130kW, powered by a high-capacity 13.8 kWh lithium-ion battery, is supported by a 94kW/199Nm petrol engine.

MMNZ claims the Eclipse Cross PHEV will achieve an optimal combined range of 650km, emits up to 75 percent CO2 than the 1.5-litre variants and can run as lean as 1.9 litres per 100km. It says the battery will reinvigorate from an exhausted state to 80 percent in 25 minutes, on an appropriate commercial AC fast charger.

Charging can also be done via a household outlet in approximately seven hours, or in around four hours using Mode 3 charging.

MMNZ points out that the drive system being electric-prioritised, rather than engine-based, allows a quiet and smooth driving experience across the board, with no shift shock when the engine kicks in.

In Series Hybrid Mode the engine is only used to generate electric power, while in Parallel Hybrid Mode it is assisted by the motor for greater fuel efficiency. The system automatically selects the most efficient drive mode based on the situation.

The PHEV model sets itself apart from its petrol counterpart thanks to body-colour bumpers and side skirts on the VRX, and silver front and rear lower garnishes on the XLS. 

Both variants sport a unique alloy wheel shod with efficiency-design Bridgestone Ecopia rubber.

The XLS has a high-grade fabric upholstery with leather trim and heated front seats. The VRX model adds in a heated steering wheel.

Pre-heating, defrosting or cooling can be initiated via a smartphone app for added convenience, as can the charging timer.

Both models are equipped with Forward Collision Mitigation, Blind Spot Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert and Lane Change Assist and the infotainment includes specific PHEV status screens and navigation.