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LOS
ANGELES -- For
the first time in several years, Mitsubishi held a press conference
at the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Japanese automaker showed
off its Concept XR-PHEV plug-in hybrid crossover vehicle. It served
as a preview of what's to come from Mitsubishi vehicles in the
future.
"It's
a great looking car isn't it?" said Alex Fedorak, public
relations manager at Mitsubishi Motors North America. "It's
a showcase for two things. One, it's for our design, it's a beauitful
car. But also for our technology. We have a lot of very curious
technology on board this thing. Including some of the standard
safety features and connected car technology, like being able
to communicate with traffic lights and pedestrian awareness, we
have a solar panel on the roof that charges the auxillary batteries
for the vehicle that take care of accessories."
The
XR-PHEV features a 1.1-liter, three-cylinder, turbocharged engine
producing 134 horsepower paired with a 121-kw electric motor for
an additional 161 horsepower. The lithium ion battery pack has
a storage capacity of 14 kWh.
"Probably
the most exciting feature about this car is one that you wouldn't
guess," Fedorak added. "In the case of an emergency
if you lose power in your house, you can plug this vehicle into
your house and it will power it for 10 days. It's totally unheard
of. It's just an example of how we're looking at this new technology
that's coming to the market. A plug-in hybrid vehicle can not
only save you gasoline, but it can be an auxillary power resource."
The
XR-PHEV is slated to replace the Outlander Sport in Mitsubishi's
line-up sometime in the near future. Pricing is expected to be
similar to that of the Outlander Sport, which starts at $19,595
and goes up from there.
Unfortunately,
Mitsubishi won't have a press conference or a display at the North
American International Auto Show in Detroit next month.
"We're
not going to be at the Detroit Auto Show this year," the
PR manager explained. "We hope to be back there next. Watch
for us in Chicago. We have another concept on the horizon. If
you haven't look at us for some time, you should look at what
we have to offer."
The
2014 Los Angeles Auto Show opens to the public on November 21
and runs through November 30. Tickets are $12 for adults (ages
13+) Mon-Thurs and $15 for adults Fri-Sunday. Children (5 and
under) are $5 at all times. Seniors aged 65 and up are $10. Group
tickets can be purchased by Julian Lile at julian@laautoshow.com
or 310-444-1850. The L.A. Convention Center is located at 1201
S. Figueroa Street in Los Angeles. Click
here to order your tickets online.
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BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
The
powertrain features a front engine/front-wheel drive gasoline-powered
1.1-liter inline-3-cylinder turbocharged engine (134 hp/100
kW) paired with a compact electric motor (161 hp/121 kW) with
a high-boost converter and a main drive lithium-ion battery
pack with storage capacity of 14 kWh (located beneath the
floor of the cabin).
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| PHOTO
BY JASON RZUCIDLO / ©AMERICAJR.com |
The
XR-PHEV will have an all-electric driving range of more than
53 miles. It could also be used to power domestic appliances
if your home lost power during a storm.
