Mitsubishi Releases UK Pricing for New Outlander Plug-in Hybrid, Matches Diesel Model OTRs

Just ahead of its UK launch in showrooms this May, Mitsubishi has placed a price tag on thenew Outlander Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) that starts from £28,249 for the base GX3h trim, including a £5,000 government subsidy.

Mitsubishi is keen to point out that the entry price is the same as the Outlander diesel GX3 auto adding that, with CO2 emissions of 44g/km, the PHEV is exempt from the London Congestion Charge.

The Japanese firm offers two more trim grades for the Outlander PHEV, the GX4h priced at £32,899 and GX4hs which is £34,999 (after the grant). Mitsubishi says that both models demand a £1,000 premium over than their diesel equivalents, not because of their hybrid powertrain, but due to added specification.

Power for the Outlander PHEV comes from a hybrid system that includes a 2.0-liter petrol engine up front along with a pair of 80hp electric motors (one for each axle) and a high-capacity lithium-ion battery. The combined output is around 220-horses with the system offering three drive modes, dubbed EV (pure electric drive), Series Hybrid (the petrol unit powers the electric motors) and Parallel Hybrid (the petrol engine provides most of the motive power).

Mitsubishi says that in pure electric mode, the Outlander PHEV can travel up to 32.5 miles (52 km) at speeds of up to 75mph (121 km/h). With the combined use of the internal combustion engine and the electric motors, the PHEV returns up to 148mpg UK (123.2 mpg US or 1.9l/100km).

However, Mitsubishi states: "Unlike non-hybrid vehicles, it is hard to predict what MPG the vehicle will return in real life. A lot depends on journey length and speed – for instance, for the average daily commute of 25 miles most people will achieve much higher than 148mpg. For longer journeys at higher speeds it may achieve less than 148mpg."

In base GX3h trim, the Outlander comes equipped with 7 airbags, 18-inch wheels, cruise control, dual-zone a/c, leather steering wheel, Bluetooth, and electric folding and heater mirrors.

The GX4h adds a sat-nav with a 7-inch display, heated front seats, leather upholstery, parking camera, DAB radio, power tailgate and electric sunroof, while the top GX4hs gains Adaptive cruise control, Forward collision mitigation system and Lane departure warning.

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VW Golf Plug-In Hybrid to Become Sporty GTE Model

If you thought the choice between the three hot VW Golfs currently on offer was decent (GTI,GTD and R) then we need to tell you that there may be a fourth one added to the list, and it promises to be even greener than the diesel…

Believed to gain the GTE designation, it will share its powertrain with the Audi A3 e-tron, which marries a 148 hp turbo petrol engine with a 107 hp electric motor – when working in tandem, they make a maximum output of 201hp.

What remains unclear is when it will be built and for which markets it will be addressed. The plug-in A3 is coming to market later this year, so according to Car&Driver and Autocar, it would be fair to assume that its launch could happen one year later.

However, despite the US’ affinity with all things hybrid and especially plug-ins, plus the positive reviews of the Jetta Hybrid that’s already on sale, it’s not seen as a sure thing for the GTE to make it into Stateside showrooms when it does get launched.

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Cadillac Sweetens Up ELR's $75,995 Bitter Pill with Free Home Charger

Whichever way you see, with a $75,995 starting price before the available federal tax credit of up to $7,500, the new Cadillac ELR extended range hybrid coupe is one very expensive ride. I mean, with the same money you can buy the technologically identical Chevy Volt ($35k) and a base Cadillac CTS Coupe ($40k MSRP or less if you push your dealer) and call it a day.

Perhaps that's why Cadillac is trying to kick-startsales of the ELR by announcing that it will offer a complimentary 240-volt home charging station and installation to early buyers of the ELR.

"Professional installation of the fastest home-charging unit is a natural way to mark the introduction of ELR to the luxury market," said Uwe Ellinghaus, chief marketing officer at Cadillac.

The crest (the wreath will soon be gone from the ELR too) brand did not say how much the fast-charging system and the installation will save prospective buyers.

It did add, though, that it is offering the ELR on an "ultra-low-mileage, 39-month lease for qualified lessees at $699 per month with $5,999 due at signing after all offers".

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New Mercedes S500 Plug-In Hybrid Averages 3L/100 KM or 78.4 US MPG

After the launch of the new S 400 Hybrid and S 300 BlueTec Hybrid, Mercedes today pulled the wraps off the third hybrid model of the all-new S-Class series, the very frugal S 500 Plug-In Hybrid that returns a combine fuel consumption of 3 liters of gasoline per 100 kilometers (78.4 US mpg / 94.2 UK mpg) and CO2 emissions of 69 g/km.

These impressive figures are made possible by an 80-kW (107hp) electric motor that can propel the car all by itself for about 30 km or 18.6 miles.

The electric motor is paired to a new 3.0-liter V6 turbocharged gasoline engine developing 328 hp (245 kW) and 480 Nm (354 lb-ft) of torque, which means the system’s total power is 325 kW (436hp). The combustion engine can be completely decoupled from the electric motor, with the car also featuring systems such as a second-generation recuperative braking system and the anticipatory Intelligent Hybrid energy management system.

The latter not only adjusts the hybrid system for the current driving condition and driver input, but also configures it to the likely route (inclines, downhill stretches, bends or speed limits) for the next eight kilometers, using navigation data from Comand Online.

As opposed to the S 400 Hybrid and S 300 BlueTec Hybrid whose batteries can only be charged during braking, coasting or by the combustion engine, the high-voltage lithium-ion battery of the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid can be recharged from an external source. A charging socket is located on the right side of the rear bumper.

The driver can select four operating modes by pressing a button: Hybrid, E-Mode (electric power only), E-Save (fully charged battery is reserved to be able to drive on electric power alone later) and Charge (battery is charged while driving). Performance isn’t hampered by the hybrid setup, on the contrary: the S 500 Plug-In Hybrid sprints from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.5 seconds and reaches a top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).

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New Honda Accord Hybrid Rated at 47 MPG Combined, Goes on Sale this October

Honda announced today that the new Accord Hybrid will arrive in dealerships across the U.S. this October. As you would expect, the hybrid sedan features the same styling found on the regular Accord, but comes with added elements such as a unique hybrid badging, blue-accented grille and light lenses, LED daytime running lights, a dedicated wheel design and a decklid spoiler.

Using Honda’s new two-motor hybrid powertrain, much of which is shared with the Accord Plug-In, the 2014 Accord Hybrid is anticipated to return an EPA fuel economy rating of 49/45/47 mpg (4.8 l/100 km/5.2 l/100km/5 l/100 km) for city/highway/combined.

The two-motor Sport Hybrid Intelligent Multi Mode Drive powertrain offers three different driving modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Drive and Engine Drive – in order to improve fuel efficiency. In “EV Drive”, the Accord Hybrid uses the lithium-ion battery to run in electric-only mode at lower speeds, while “Engine Drive” sends the engine power directly to the front wheels during medium to high speed cruising. In “Hybrid Drive,” the 124-kW electric motor and the 2.0-liter Atkinson-cycle 4-cylinder engine combine their forces for powerful acceleration while also ensuring efficient driving in stop-and-go traffic situations.

On the inside, the Accord Hybrid’s instruments inform the driver about instant fuel economy and energy flow information. Available safety systems include the LaneWatch blind-spot display, Lane Departure Warning and Forward Collision Warning. Other available features are an 8-inch color i-MID display, perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces, cloud-based HondaLink featuring Aha compatibility, seven-speaker audio system with Bluetooth streaming audio, Pandora interface and XM Radio, and a multi-angle rearview camera with guidelines.

According to the Japanese company, the 2014 Accord Hybrid will be the first Honda hybrid vehicle assembled in Ohio and the second built in the States. Prices in the U.S. haven’t been announced yet, but in Japan, the Accord Hybrid will start from $38,000, almost $7,000 more than its chief rival, the Toyota Camry.

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VW XL1 Hybrid Falls Close to 40 Percent Short of Economy Claims in Automobile Mag Test

Volkswagen made big claims about the efficiency of their purpose-built XL1 diesel-hybrid. They claimed the car was good for 261 mpg US, which equates to 0.9 l/100km in the Metric system.  However, at a recent test drive event organized by VW, a handful of journalists were given the chance to drive the mid-engined XL1, so that they could share their thoughts.

Automobile Magazine was also represented at the event, and their own test reveals something very interesting about the XL1. Sure, it’s very efficient, because it was specifically built with that purpose in mind, but it’s not as near as efficient as the lab tests would have you believe.

In the magazine's test, it averaged "only" around 160 mpg or 1.47 l/100km, which is still a hugely impressive figure since the car is reportedly no slouch and can even handle quicker overtaking maneuvers with ease.

The car is also praised for the way in which it is engineered, the fact that its (good) driving dynamics reflect its mid-engined nature, and of course, the still very impressive efficiency figure.

Furthermore, since the XL1 wouldn’t be a viable solution for the US market as it is far too low-volume and expensive, the magazine says VW could make an XR1, which would be a “carbon-fiber sports car that would offer Porsche 911 performance (and hybrid fuel economy) for half the money.” It would use a widened version of the same frame, which could house anything from a 2.0-liter turbo from the new GTI, to any number of small displacement engines with some form of forced induction.

The design would change too, and with the wider body, the car would adopt a more ‘coke-bottle’ shape, which looks good on any car, especially one that is low, wide and sporty-looking.

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