Triton set to go EV as Mitsubishi confirms electric ute by 2028
A battery electric pick-up will be one of nine electrified models released by Mitsubishi globally over the next five years.
While Mitsubishi hasn’t named the in-development newcomer, the electric ute is set to be a Triton EV.
Up to seven of those BEV and hybrid models – including the ute – could come to Australia based on Mitsubishi’s presentation of its Challenge 2025 business plan in Tokyo last week.
EXCLUSIVE FEATURE: EV ute overload: The electric pickup trucks coming soon
READ MORE: Why electric cars will be more capable off-road
Other BEVs apart from the electric ute planned for production by 2028 include a two-row SUV and two compact unspecified models sourced from Mitsubishi’s Alliance partners Renault and Nissan.
The hybrids previewed include a two-row SUV, an electrically assisted version of the Indonesian-built Xpander crossover and an MPV.
Electrified versions of the Renault Captur-based ASX compact SUV sold overseas and Renault Clio-based 2023 Colt small car were also listed, but powertrain details were not specified.
Of that lot one of the Alliance BEVs and the Colt were excluded from the launch list for Mitsubishi two prime sales regions ASEAN and Oceania, which includes Australia.
No details of any of the new electrified models were offered or if they are specifically destined for Australia.
No mention of a hybrid ute was made as part of the presentation, despite previous suggestions it will happen.
It was also noticeable no mention was made of plug-in hybrid models joining the line-up beyond the existing Outlander PHEV.
It is possible they were rolled into the presentation under an all-encompassing hybrid definition.
The ute will follow the next-gen turbo-diesel Triton to market, which launches in 2023, along with the production version of the XFC compact SUV concept.
A timeline out to 2025 showed the plug-in models sourced from Renault and Nissan launching by then, while the Xpander hybrid appears set for late 2023 or early 2024. The two-row hybrid SUV is slated for late 2024 or early 2025.
The battery electric ute is among the models that don’t appear on the 2023-2025 timeline, suggesting it will arrive in 2026-28 along with the two-row BEV SUV.
That means the electric Mitsubishi ute will arrive in the market after rival BEV and hybrid offerings such as a Ford Ranger, Volkswagen Amarok and Toyota HiLux.
Chinese brands are on the way or have already entered the fray and the US industry is spawning a rush of utes from Chevrolet, Ford, RAM, Tesla and Rivian to name a few.
In its presentation Mitsubishi confirmed it would invest more than $15 billion into electrified vehicles and battery production out to 2030.
It intends to gain half its sales from BEVs by 2030 and to have its entire line-up electrified by 2035.
