Mitsubishi confirms it’s looking at fully electric Triton

Following speculation that it is developing a plug-in hybrid version of the Triton, a key Mitsubishi engineer has confirmed that a fully electric version of the popular pick-up is being considered.

Speaking at the recent launch of the Outlander PHEV in Australia, Mitsubishi segment chief vehicle engineer Kentaro Honda said that the brand is looking at electrifying the Triton; noting that the brand is currently weighing up making the model a petrol plug-in hybrid or fully electric.

“We have a choice of hybrid or BEV, even for such a truck type. So we are still investigating which powertrain is better. But I think for the Australian market plug-in hybrid is a good solution,” he said, CarsGuide reports.

Quizzed on why the brand might opt for PHEV over EV technology, Honda said it will depend on the available infrastructure for each market. He says that, in Australia’s case, plug-in hybrid tech is preferred.

“It depends on the charging infrastructure. Right now in Australia, the plug-in hybrid is better than battery electric,” said Honda.

The update follows speculation in Japanese press that Mitsubishi is planning to launch a Triton PHEV in 2023; mating the brand’s next-gen Triton platform with tech lifted from the recently updated Outlander PHEV.

The Outlander PHEV comes with a 2.4-litre petrol four cylinder paired to dual electric motors and a 20kWh lithium-ion battery pack. This powertrain is rated for 185kW/400Nm outright in the Outlander PHEV, with a claimed pure electric range of 84km.

The powertrain is likely to receive some tweaks in order to improve its towing abilities. The Outlander PHEV is rated to tow up to 1600kg braked, well short of the 3500kg industry standard expected in the ute class.

Electrification in the ute segment is a current hot topic as markets move to decarbonise their fleets. As it stands, the only plug-in ute confirmed in either Australia or New Zealand is the fully electric LDV e-T60, which is set to land in New Zealand later this year.

Mitsubishi has produced one fully electric model in the past; the i-MiEV hatch. The diminutive model was short lived, with distribution in several key regions stopping in the mid 2010s and production ceasing completely in 2021.