Why do most people prefer to drive rather than take the bus? It's because they don't have to plan their trip — and so, their day — around a schedule they didn't make.
Electric cars have that same issue in that you have to think constantly about scheduling your day around how much range you have left — and how much time you don't have to wait for a recharge.
It's a problem you won't have if you're driving Mitsubishi's new Outlander plug-in hybrid, which is an interesting evolution of the hybrid concept.
What It Is
The Outlander PHEV is a new, plug-in hybrid version of the Outlander crossover, which is one of few compact-size Crossovers that seats seven in three rows rather than the usual (in this class) five in two.
It is also one of the few plug-in hybrids that can be recharged — in about 40 minutes — at high-voltage commercial fast chargers, as opposed to much more slowly (overnight) at home, on household current.
Its primary rival, the plug-in version of Kia's Sorento (which also has three rows), does not offer this capability.
Prices start at $39,845 for the base ES trim.
A top-of-the-line Anniversary Edition — marking Mitsubishi's 40th year selling cars in the United States — comes with a 1,500-watt AC power outlet, three-zone climate control and a premium Bose audio system with nine speakers.
It lists for $49,995.
What's New for 2023
The plug-in Outlander is all-new.
What's Good
An EV when you need it to be that can go as far as you need it to go whenever you need to get going — without having to schedule it.
Can accommodate two more passengers than most compact crossovers.
Much quicker than nonhybrid Outlander.
What's Not So Good
Much more expensive than nonhybrid Outlander (which stickers for $27,595 to start).
Fast charging still takes much longer than the less than five minutes it takes to gas up.
DC fast-charge capability is not available with lower trims.
Under The Hood
Unlike the regular (nonhybrid) Outlander, which comes only with a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 181 horsepower paired with a continuously variable (CVT) automatic transmission and either front-wheel drive (standard) or all-wheel drive (optional), the plug-in Outlander comes standard with a slightly smaller 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine paired up with two electric motors, a 20-kilowatt-hour battery pack and 248 horsepower distributed via standard AWD.
The result is much quicker acceleration.
Zero to 60 takes just 6.3 seconds, about three seconds quicker to 60 than the nonhybrid Outlander — and you have the capability to operate as an EV for about 38 miles.
Uniquely in its class and price range, this Mitsu also has the ability to make use of DC current fast chargers, just like full-time EVs. This makes it much more feasible to operate the Outlander as an EV more often because you don't have to wait for hours (or overnight) before you can drive it as an EV again.
The point — or rather, the selling point — is having a short-range EV with the long-range capabilities of a non-EV, without the time, cost and scheduling rigmarole of owning a full-time EV.
On The Road
If you have ever driven a full-time EV, you already know about range anxiety, which is perhaps better described as wait anxiety. It is not so much that most EVs don't go nearly as far on a charge as most non-EVs can go on a tank; it is how long you must wait to get going again when an EV runs low on charge.
A plug-in hybrid like the Outlander PHEV that can recharge itself as you drive and doesn't have to stop for a charge, at all, eliminates that problem, thereby eliminating the anxiety.
You just drive, as you're used to doing.
It also goes when you give it gas. Electric motors produce abundant power — immediately. Floor the gas and this Outlander giddyaps, which the standard Outlander does not. The latter is so slow you'd swear it was dragging something really heavy behind it.
At The Curb
Mitsubishi says the Outlander's styling is "outlandish." That's a stretch. What makes it stand out is that it's one of just a few compact crossovers that comes standard with three rows of seats and room for up to seven people — and that it is the only one that's a plug-in hybrid with fast-charging capability.
It's a tight squeeze for the passengers in the third row, but the fact that there is a third row makes this compact-size crossover a feasible choice for those who must have those extra seats but would prefer not to go up a size.
You'll also get more standard equipment than in the standard (nonhybrid) Outlander, including a much larger (12.3-inch) LCD touchscreen (rather than the standard Outlander's 8-inch unit) with hybrid-specific displays, LED headlights and taillights, as well as higher-grade trim throughout.
The Rest
There is one hair in the soup.
Mitsubishi doesn't include fast-charge capability with the standard ES and next-up SE trims. That means if you want to be able to recharge in less than several hours, you'll have to spring for either the SEL or the Anniversary trims.
The Bottom Line
Overall, this is an interesting way to split the difference between a full-time EV and the convenience/practicality of a non-EV.
Eric's latest book, "Doomed: Good Cars Gone Wrong!" will be available soon. To find out more about Eric and read his past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.
View the Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid this week.
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