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Ukraine orders 651 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs for national police

While Mitsubishi has seen happier times – with lagging North American sales and a recent fuel economy scandal – there's still at least one ray of hope for the Japanese automaker. Its plug-in hybrid version of the Outlander is quite popular in many markets, and it's about to get a whole lot more popular in another one. The Ukraine has placed an order for 651 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEVs for use by its national police force. Ukraine's Minister of Internal Affairs, Arsen Avakov, first announced the news on Twitter, and linked to a statement going into more detail. As part of a plan emerging from the Kyoto Protocol, the Natspolitsiya (as the police force is called) are ditching their aging, Russian-made UAZ and AvtoVAZ vehicles for the greener option from the less-at-war-with-them Japan. The Outlander PHEV, which was refreshed for the 2017 model year, is powered by a 2.0-liter, four-cylinder engine as well as two electric motors. Its 12-kWh battery provides about 22 miles of real-world, all-electric driving range. It's quite popular in Europe, so we might want to pay attention, as it will arrive in the US later this year. "So, gentlemen, Ukrainian policemen! You will receive 651 new and unique modern powerful eco-friendly hybrid crossover Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV," says Avakov in his statement. "The people of Ukraine hopes that you will be worthy of this innovation! Serve with honor!" No pressure. Furthermore, Avakov quipped in a Facebook post – with a smile and a wink – that his "advertising" for Mitsubishi ought to net the Natspolitsiya a 652nd vehicle. Related Video:

Chrysler de Mexico to sell rebadged Mitsubishi model in shades of Colt deal

Chrysler and Mitsubishi have had a close relationship since the early '70s. Back then, they partnered up to sell the Japanese brand's models under American names as captive imports in the US. Vehicles like the Dodge Colt, Eagle Summit, and eventually the 3000GT/Stealth twins and lots of other cars and trucks became the fruits of that alliance. In fact, the two companies still maintain a good rapport, as evidenced by reports of a new deal to sell the Mitsubishi Attrage, also known the Mirage G4, in Mexico starting in November.
The Attrage is a small, four-door sedan that borrows many of the mechanical bits from the Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback. According to Automotive News, the deal allows Chrysler to sell the model in Mexico for the next five years. The deal could be a win-win for both companies. Mitsubishi gets to use more capacity at its Laem Chabang, Thailand factory where the car is made, and Chrysler gets a new vehicle for a growing market with almost zero development costs. At this time, there's no indication of the new model's name in Mexico, though.
There's also still a chance the Attrage might make it to the US market as well. The automaker showed off the sedan as the Mirage G4 at the 2014 Montreal Motor Show ahead of promised sales in small-car-friendly Canada. The Mirage hatchback was introduced to the US in a similar way, debuting in Canada first and then crossing the border. While reviews for the Mirage have been pretty atrocious, it would still be interesting to see Mitsubishi further expanding its lineup in North America.

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV's US debut pushed back yet again [UPDATE]

UPDATE: The story's been updated to include a response from Mitsubishi. Better late than never, the saying goes, and when it comes to the US debut of the Mitsubishi Outlander Plug-in Hybrid, the key words are "better" and "late." The crossover's debut in the US has already been the subject of a number of delays, and it is will once again having its stateside debut pushed back by a few months, according to Green Car Reports. Instead of a springtime arrival, we're now looking at late summer. We already know that the first US Outlander is an updated model compared to the one currently sold in Europe and Japan, but the Japanese automaker is apparently still tweaking the model to make it better suited for US driving. That means an improved interior and better sound insulation for what will be the 2017 model-year Outlander PHEV, and will likely involve better performance for both drivetrain power and fuel efficiency. "We decided to bring in the Outlander PHEV along with the 2017 Outlander launch," Mitsubishi spokesman Alex Fedorak wrote in an e-mail to Autoblog. "Doing so will allow us to better equip the vehicle for the US market." We doubt major changes are in store, so it still looks like the plug-in Outlander will pair a 2.0-liter gas engine with two electric motors. The crossover PHEV can go about 32 miles on electricity alone, at least, it can on the more lenient European driving cycle. The Outlander PHEV was first slated for a 2014 US debut, but that was pushed back to 2015 because of a battery shortage. More recently, Mitsubishi said this past January that the US debut would take place in April 2016. Overseas, the model continues to make headway when it comes to global market share of plug-in vehicles. Through November, Mitsubishi moved more than 36,000 units of the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid worldwide. That puts it third among plug-in vehicles, trailing only the sales of the Tesla Model S and the Nissan Leaf electric vehicles, according to EV Sales. Featured Gallery Plug In 2014: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV View 12 Photos News Source: Green Car ReportsImage Credit: Copyright 2015 Sebastian Blanco / AOL Green Mitsubishi Hybrid