What models are there in Mexico?
Mitsubishi has been producing a plug-in version of its Outlander for a decade. The electrified SUV was a global success, landing in Mexico in 2019. The niche automaker recently introduced an updated Outlander PHEV with improved electric range (60 kilometers), a third row, and improved styling and handling.
“Essentially, we invented the segment,” Vallejo said. “The Outlander was a huge success for us and surprised a lot of people. It set us on a really good path.”
The manager says that pairing a gasoline engine with an electric motor eliminates the fears that drivers share about electric vehicles. The brand expects to sell 1,000 units of the new generation Outlander by May 2024.
Luxury automakers like BMW, Lincoln, Porsche, and Volvo have also been making PHEVs for years. BMW, which was one of the pioneering brands in the segment, today has six models with this technology. German automaker Porsche launched the Panamera E-Hybrid at the end of 2013 followed by the Cayenne E-Hybrid a year later.
Volvo is the manufacturer that has advanced the fastest in adopting this technology in the Mexican market. Today it has a plug-in hybrid version of each of the models it sells in Mexico. The S60 midsize sedan, for example, can go up to 90 kilometers in an electric model before the gasoline engine starts up.
Volvo Cars increased the electric range of PHEVs up to 41 miles (about 65 kilometers). Björn Annwall, Chief Commercial Officer & Deputy CEO said during a visit to Mexico that automakers now need to do more to educate motorists about these vehicles.
“If you look at all the powertrain pros and cons, PHEVs would be much more popular,” Annwall said. “They are more affordable than a typical electric vehicle and work like a traditional hybrid when there is no electric range.”
Japanese automaker Toyota, a pioneer in hybrid technology, recently said it would pay more attention to BEVs, a significant change for the company. Plug-in hybrids, however, will be that bridge technology between hybrids and electrics.
“We are still in a period of analysis. We want to see which would be the most suitable models for the Mexican market,” said Guillermo Díaz, president of Toyota Motor Sales México.
MG Motor also recently introduced a plug-in hybrid vehicle, the eHS SUV, with the goal of marketing approximately 1,000 units during 2023. Daniel Nava, vice president of MG Motor in Mexico, said that a plug-in hybrid is a “logical leap” on the path of the brand towards electrification.