- Mitsubishi's first new EV since the i-Miev is coming to America this summer.
- The automaker confirmed it will be based on the new Nissan Leaf EV.
- Mitsubishi promises "a new or significantly revised vehicle every year between 2026 and 2030."
Mitsubishi will launch a new electric vehicle in the United States and Canada next summer, after an almost decade-long hiatus following the discontinuation of the i-Miev in 2017. And it will lean on its longtime partner, Nissan, to get the job done.
"The addition of this new battery-electric vehicle to our lineup will deliver a blend of internal combustion engines, plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, so that our customers have the choice of technology that best suits their needs," said Mark Chaffin, president and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors North America, in a news release.
Based on the latest generation Nissan Leaf, the new EV will become Mitsubishi’s fifth crossover model in the United States, joining the Outlander, Outlander Plug-In Hybrid, Outlander Sport, and Eclipse Cross.
The Japanese automaker is yet to unveil the name and technical specifications of the new EV, but we can get a rough idea of what it will deliver by looking at the new Nissan Leaf.
With a body roughly three-fourths the size of the refreshed Tesla Model Y, the new Leaf—and most likely Mitsubishi’s new EV, too—will come from the factory with a Tesla-designed NACS charging port, a full-width LED light setup at the front, and a rather slippery drag coefficient of 0.26. That’s better than the smaller Chevrolet Equinox EV, but can’t match the Model Y’s 0.23 figure.
There’s no word on what batteries and electric motors will power the new Leaf and Mitsubishi’s electric crossover, so we’ll have to wait for the final reveal to find out what those are. Like the Leaf, it should carry a Tesla-style North American Charging Standard (NACS) plug from the factory.
Looks-wise, Mitsubishi’s first new EV since the i-Miev will likely be more or less a restyled Leaf. The company already sells rebadged versions of a couple of Renault models in Europe, and a teaser photo showing the automaker’s future American model lineup is a dead giveaway that Mitsubishi will make minor modifications to the Leaf when it sells it as its own here.
That photo includes all the cars that will make their way to the U.S. by 2030 as part of the carmaker’s Momentum 2030 business plan, which outlines Mitsubishi’s intention to launch “a new or significantly revised vehicle every year between 2026 and 2030.” The plan was set in motion with the launch of the revised 2025 Outlander SUV, but more crossovers are on the way, as well as something that looks like the production version of the D:X Concept minivan.
Another interesting model is in the far left corner. Judging from its light signature, it looks like an EV made by tech giant Foxconn. That company just signed a deal to supply Mitsubishi with a new car starting next year, Automotive News reported today. The Taiwanese company that’s probably best known for making the Apple iPhone is in talks with several automakers as well.
