Renault Secures Hybrid and PHEV Models for Alliance with New Joint Venture
Get ready for more electrified models from Mitsubishi Motors! Hybrids, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), and battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) are the talk of the auto industry these days. Many automotive groups revealed their business plans to meet the growing demand for electrified vehicles as the regulations in Europe become tighter and tighter. Mitsubishi, a part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance is in the driver’s seat to launch the next new model according to Alliance 2025 and Alliance 2030. With Renault raising capital to make a number of investments, the newest may secure new hybrid and PHEV technology for the next few years. Renault recently signed a new, equally-held joint venture with Geely, a Chinese multinational automotive company that owns Volvo and Proton.
So, what is this new joint venture? A mutually beneficial agreement, the two automakers are planning to invest a total of around $12.4 billion into the development of gasoline engines and hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) technology. According to Alliance 2030, the Alliance already has plans to develop new BEV architecture and platforms to power a total of 35 new BEV models, the time between now and 2030 offers a chance for more hybrids and plug-in hybrids to shine. The new joint venture between Renault and Geely will become the new source for gasoline engines and hybrid powertrains, with a target goal of five million internal combustion engines (ICE) and hybrid or plug-in hybrid powertrains produced every year. Investments are going into 17 engine plants and five research and development centers to make this possible.
The launch of the joint venture is set for 2023, early 2024. Just because the automakers signed a contract doesn’t mean everything is legal and tied up with a bow. Once everything is finalized, the first production units are said to launch within the next few years. As detailed during Alliance 2030, Mitsubishi Motors will be the first automaker of the Alliance to release a new model, but it’s unclear how soon that will happen. The 2024 Mitsubishi Motors North America lineup was recently announced, and there is no mention of new hybrid or plug-in hybrid vehicles aside from the new Mitsubishi Colt. There is some hope following the announcement of “Challenge 2025” by Mitsubishi Motors, with plans to release six models this year (2023), including an unnamed compact SUV.
Based on what we know about the Mitsubishi Colt, this will be one of eight electrified vehicles coming to the lineup, including an unnamed pickup BEV, unnamed 2-row BEV SUV, unnamed 2-row hybrid SUV, the XPANDER hybrid, an MPV hybrid, and two unnamed BEVs from the Alliance. Given that the revival of the Mitsubishi Colt sports car is a rebadged Renault Clio with a hybrid model, it would be likely that the Colt hybrid is powered by a 1.6-liter hybrid powertrain. There is talk that one of the Alliance BEVs could be the Mitsubishi Ralliart Vision, based off of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, powered by a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine and a pair of electric motors. Mitsubishi has also had several concepts in the past few years, including the Lancer crossover as a plug-in hybrid option.
Will Mitsubishi Motors finally make good on its job to release the first new model from the Alliance? Only time will tell. Follow along with us on University Mitsubishi social media.
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