Mitsubishi Elevance Concept debuts as a quad-motor PHEV

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In most markets, Mitsubishi is not the first name that comes to people’s minds when shopping for a new vehicle. The company hopes to change that with a bunch of new products in the future, one of which will be the production model of the Elevance Concept, showcased at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show.

Indeed, the Elevance Concept is very concept-ish and doesn’t look even remotely close to a production model, but car designs lately have been on the “crazy” side, so you never know. The front fascia features the Mitsubishi-typical “Dynamic Shield”, while the rest of the car looks different. The so-called capsule-style cabin was apparently inspired by the rib-bone frame (rib cage) concept, claimed to deliver exceptional rigidity. The trailer concept is equipped with a kitchen and a shower.

As you can see, there’s no B-pillar, and the rear doors are rear-hinged, making it fairly easy to get in and out. Also, the front seats can be rotated to face the second row, suggesting autonomous driving capability. The concept features an AI Co-Driver that can analyze surrounding conditions and vehicle status in real time, recommend optimal drive modes based on road conditions detected by sensors, and offer personalized destination suggestions tailored to individual lifestyles and preferences.

No, the Elevance Concept is not a BEV. It is a PHEV with a high-efficiency petrol engine compatible with carbon-neutral (CN) fuels (liquid hydrogen), and four electric motors. Two motors are at the front (in-wheel motors), and the other two are at the rear (called Active Yaw Control/AYC). Mitsubishi claims that when driving over rough roads, there’s a technology to reduce wobbling and sway to minimize the risk of carsickness. No further details are available at the moment. Does the ICE work as a range-extender? Most likely not. It seems like the primary responsibility of the electric motors is to make the vehicle AWD capable.