by Daniel Leussink
TOKYO (Reuters) – Mitsubishi Motors wants electrified vehicles – hybrids and pure electrics – to account for 100% of its new car sales by the middle of next decade, an acceleration of its electrification strategy that will also go through a electric model derived from a Renault vehicle.
The third member of the alliance between Renault and Nissan, which it joined along the way, was like its two partners a pioneer in electric vehicles during the 2010s with its i-MiEV, also available in Europe under the Peugeot brands. and Citroen.
The Japanese group has since focused on gasoline-electric hybrid engines, particularly suitable for SUVs of which it is a specialist, but it intends to add a 100% electric offer to its European catalog again by exploiting the synergies of the alliance.
According to a presentation accompanying Mitsubishi’s medium-term objectives, a Renault-based alliance vehicle and a Nissan-based alliance vehicle are thus envisaged by 2025.
The electric model for Europe could be a derivative of the future Renault Scenic, announced in 2024, or the future Renault 5 and 4, scheduled respectively for 2024 and 2025, three models manufactured in France, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters. .
A spokesperson for Mitsubishi Europe declined to comment.
As part of the restructuring of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance unveiled in early February, including a streamlined capital structure between Renault and Nissan, Mitsubishi has also announced its intention to invest in Renault’s future electric entity, ” Ampere”.
To remain competitive in its main markets – Asean and Oceania in the lead – Mitsubishi plans to launch a total of 16 new models over the next five years, including another seven internal combustion engines, alongside five hybrids and four electrics – including the two models derived from the covenant.
“Among our existing models, we will expand the geographies where our flagship Outlander plug-in hybrid is present, and will strengthen sales of our Minicab-MiEV electric utility vehicle which was relaunched last year,” said the director. General of Mitsubishi Takao Kato during the presentation.
Known in particular for its Outlander, whose new generation on an alliance architecture will land in Europe in 2024, Mitsubishi has also maintained its target of 50% electrified sales by fiscal year 2030, against 7% for fiscal year 2021, last where this data is available.
(With Gilles Guillaume in Paris, and Elaine Lies in Tokyo, edited by Matthieu Protard)
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