Mitsubishi Motors Corporation revealed the 2024 Xpander and Xpander Cross equipped with a hybrid powertrain. The said seven-seater Mitsubishi MPV hybrid vehicles are already on sale in Thailand.
The Xpander Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV) and Xpander Cross HEV are integrated with Mitsubishi’s newly developed e:Motion system, a full hybrid engine system that’s based on the automaker’s Plug-In Hybrid technology that’s said to deliver an “eco-friendly and exhilarating driving experience.”
Exterior
In terms of the overall exterior, the Xpander and Xpander Cross HEV models look similar to their non-HEV siblings. However, it is integrated with subtle design updates to make it stand out from the non-HEV Xpander/Xpander Cross.
The exterior comes with HEV badges on the front grille, tailgate, and front doors. Moreover, it has a blue color accent seen on the side, rear bumper, and wheels. Mitsubishi opted to add White Diamond paint to the Xpander/Xpander Cross HEV color options to express the clean character of an electrified vehicle.
Interior
Inside, the 2024 Mitsubishi Xpander/Xpander Cross HEV can still accommodate up to seven individuals. But, sound absorbing and soundproofing materials have been added to key locations on the vehicle to keep the interior quiet not only during EV driving but also when the engine activates during acceleration or when driving at high speeds.
The battery, on the other hand, is positioned under the floor of the front seats. Mitsubishi shared that it has also tuned the suspension of the Xpander HEV and Xpander Cross HEV to achieve “outstanding steering stability and excellent ride comfort.”
When it comes to amenities, the Xpander HEV and Xpander Cross HEV come with a nine-inch infotainment touchscreen with Apple Carplay and Android Auto, new eight-inch digital instrument cluster, an electric shifter, an electronic parking brake with auto brake hold, cruise control, and leather-wrapped steering wheel.
Powertrain
The e:Motion system on the 2024 Mitsubishi Xpander HEV and Xpander Cross HEV is comprised of a 1.6-liter DOHC MIVEC gasoline engine along with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. The Japanese automaker claims that the e-Motion system fitted on the Xpander HEV and Xpander Cross HEV yields better fuel economy by around 10 percent compared to the 1.5-liter gas engine on the non-HEV Xpander models.
Mitsubishi added that the Xpander and Xpander Cross HEV models are 34 percent more fuel efficient in city driving. The two new HEV units are also the first Mitsubishi vehicles to have an electric water pump to reduce mechanical loss.
The Xpander HEV and Xpander Cross HEV have a combined power output of 114 horsepower and 225 Nm of torque, which is a significant increase from the non-HEV Xpander models.
To put things in perspective, the Xpander and Xpander Cross equipped with a 1.5-liter gasoline engine puts out 103 horsepower and 141 Nm of torque. As such, the Xpander/Xpander Cross HEV models yield an increase of 11 hp and 84 Nm of torque.
The 2024 Mitsubishi Xpander/Xpander Cross HEV models feature seven drive modes: Normal, Tarman, Gravel, Mud, Wet, EV Priority, and EV Charge. The automaker explains that the EV Priority mode drives the motor on power from the battery without activating the engine, which means that the vehicle runs in 100 percent EV mode.
Price
Mitsubishi Thailand is offering the Xpander HEV and Xpander Cross HEV with a 5-year hybrid system warranty (unlimited mileage) and a 10-year battery warranty (unlimited mileage).
In terms of pricing, the 2024 Mitsubishi Xpander HEV is offered at an introductory price of 912,000 Baht (around Php 1,443,000) while the Xpander Cross HEV comes with a 946,000 Baht intro price (about Php 1,497,000).
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