A hybrid next gen 2023 Mitsubishi Triton is under development, PHEV mulled but cost is a concern

• Next-generation Mitsubishi Triton will launch in 2023
• Hybrid version won't arrive until end-2025
• Cost is a major concern for Mitsubishi

With the pick-up truck market slowly but surely taking the adopting electrification, it is a matter of time before brands like Mitsubishi embraces electrification for the Triton.

Speaking to Australia's GoAuto, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) general manager of EV powertrain engineering, Takashi Shirakawa said that an electrified powertrain “is in advanced engineering already for the Triton and Pajero Sport products, but from a CO2 reduction viewpoint, a battery-electric is not a good answer.”

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He added, “We are thinking about whether hybrid is better, plug-in hybrid is better or pure electric is better, and we have those products in prototypes and we are comparing them, but our headache is always, always cost.”

Being one of the pioneers to introduce plug-in hybrid (PHEV) systems, Mitsubishi sees PHEVs as one of the most environmentally-friendly options, once factoring in the full lifecycle emissions of a vehicle; not just the CO2 emitted during the vehicle’s operation, but also during the manufacturing and disposal process.

The next-generation Mitsubishi Triton, Mr Shirakawa added that the electrified Triton could feature some intelligent torque-vectoring system versus a conventional diesel powertrain and 4x4 system.

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“Electrification gives a customer benefit like manoeuvring in difficult conditions – electrification can enable some extra driving (capabilities). So we are thinking about how to make electrified larger vehicles, but it is still under advanced engineering,” he added.

That being said, Mr Shirakawa did mention that engineering side still has lots of work to do and the partially-electric powertrain for the next-generation Triton may not arrive before the end of 2025.