Mitsubishi has released the first images of an all-new, fully electric vehicle called the Eclipse Sportback.
It’s all-new in so far as it’s a Mitsubishi, but no so new because it will be a rebadged version of the Nissan LEAF.
Mitsubishi plans to introduce the new Eclipse Sportback EV to the North American market as a 2027 model in the second half of this year.
The drivetrain will be the same but cosmetic changes will differentiate the two vehicles and make this model uniquely Mitsubishi.
That no doubt means two battery sizes and two levels of power: 52 kWh/130kW/360km and 75 kWh/160kW/488km.
It will feature unique front and rear facias in line with other models, with distinct front and rear lights and lighting signatures, striking alloy wheels.
Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback
Of course the new Sportback will not be Mitsubishi’s first EV.
That honour goes to the tiny i-MiEV launched here in 2010 and Australia’s first modern, massed-produced EV.
Initially part of a lease program, the ground-breaking i-MiEV was offered for general sale in 2012, priced from $48,800 plus on road costs.
It seated four, had a single 47kW, 16 kWh lithium-ion battery electric motor and range of 155km and top speed of 130km/h, and was covered by a 130,000km warranty.
Mitsubishi sold just 227 of them, most to business and Government agencies, but no sooner was it here than it was gone.
You can pick up a good second-hand one these days for about $8000.
Fast forward and the Eclipse Sportback EV represents the next step in Mitsubishi’s Momentum 2030 business plan, which includes a path to electrification as one of its four key pillars, along with a renewed and expanded product line-up, a modernised retail sales model, and a strengthened partnership with the dealer network.
The company has committed to debut at least one new or significantly revised vehicle each year through fiscal-year 2030, and Eclipse Sportback will be joined in early 2027 by an all-new rugged, off-road derivative of the Outlander SUV.
More information about the Eclipse Sportback EV, including technical details, pricing and on-sale date, will be released in the near future.
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