Mitsubishi will have an electrified version of its next-generation Triton on sale before the end of the decade, but if you were hoping for something akin to Ford’s F-150 Lightning or Tesla’s Cybertruck except, you know, sensible and Japanese, perhaps quell your excitement just a tad: Mitsubishi’s battery-toting ute will likely be a PHEV, not a full EV.
And it’s probably not going to be available the instant the new Triton launches, with Mitsubishi’s new ute expected to land locally in early 2024 after a global unveiling sometime in the middle of next year, according to Mitsubishi executive officer Takashi Shirakawa.
“We are trying to introduce the electrified [Triton] application in the 2020 period, not after 2030,” Shirakawa said to Carsguide. “We’re trying, but we don’t know if it will happen or not – it depends on whether we can reduce the cost.
“We are thinking about whether hybrid is better, plug-in hybrid is better or pure electric is better, and we have those products in prototypes and we are comparing them, but our headache is always, always cost.”
Mitsubishi has committed to having at least one electrified option for each one of its models by the end of this decade, which means an electrically-enhanced Triton is definitely in the product planning pipeline.
However, the news that the ute’s configuration – whether conventional hybrid, plug-in hybrid (PHEV) or pure electric (EV) – has yet to be decided upon means its arrival in showrooms is likely to be around three years away at the very least.
Indications are that an EV Triton to rival LDV’s upcoming eT60 electric ute is probably not going to eventuate – it doesn’t align well with Mitsubishi’s own carbon reduction plan (thanks to the high CO2 cost of manufacturing a big enough battery), and also likely wouldn’t be able to deliver on the flexibility and range demanded by buyers in the segment.
“It [an electrified powertrain] is in advanced engineering already for Triton and Pajero Sport products, but from a CO2 reduction viewpoint a battery-electric is not a good answer,” Shirakawa said.
But beyond being able to lower running costs and driving-related carbon emissions, an electrified Triton also unlocks some interesting possibilities for the next-gen Triton’s drivetrain, with the S-AWC torque-vectoring technology from the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV possibly being adapted to gift the Triton with better on- and off-road handling.
“Electrification gives a customer benefit like maneuvering in difficult conditions – electrification can enable some extra driving [capabilities],” Shirakawa said.
“So, we are thinking about how to make electrified larger vehicles, but it is still under advanced engineering.”
Another Outlander PHEV trick that would serve the new Triton well is its ability to offload power from its 20kWh battery pack, allowing tradies, farmers and outdoorsy types the ability to keep household appliances charged up while away from home – or even to supply power to the home in the event of a blackout.
However, that’s all speculation for now – until Shirakawa and his team finalise the engineering on an electron-munching Triton, Mitsubishi’s new ute will soldier on with conventional combustion powertrains for a little while longer.
Keyword: Next-gen Mitsubishi Triton's eco-warrior variant won't be fully electric, but expect a plug-in to tackle Ford Ranger and Toyota HiLux