Outlander Plug-In Hybrid EV: Car exposes new roadtrip reality

Australians love their road trips and their 4WDs. Now there’s a new way to get from the leafy suburbs to road trip weekender in an instant.

The Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV.

There’s perhaps nothing more quintessentially Australian than jacking your car full of stuff, strapping the kids in and hitting the open road.

Our expansive nation provides almost endless opportunities for four-wheel excursions, but the way we tackle the classic Aussie road trip is slowly changing.

I recently took the family on a voyage to the national’s capital from Sydney using one of Mitsubishi’s new Outlander Plug-In Hybrid EVs and it was an experience that offered a glimpse of a whole new world of travel.

As the owner of an i30, this was quite the upgrade in terms of size and functionality. And, it was the first time I’d taken command of a vehicle with capacity for electricity-powered travel – so I was keen to see what the fuss was all about.

EVs, as we all know, are taking off in a big way, and the benefits of moving away from the petrol pump are widely known, but in a nation the size of Australia they also throw up a unique set of potential problems.

The Outlander Plug-In Hybrid EV. Picture: Ben Graham/news.com.au

I relied on electric power to get me around the city. Picture: Ben Graham/news.com.au

As the hybrid hums to life, the first thing that hits you is how quiet it is. On a quick jaunt through Sydney to pick up the family, I knocked the car into electric mode and felt instantly smug about my reduced carbon footprint.

The Outlander’s impressive size allowed us to shove everything we needed in the boot, including the pram, suitcases and stacks of things to keep the kids happy. However, on the road it’s a nimble beast — it felt easier to zip around city roads and back into spots than our tiny i30.

Its 4WD system dramatically improves the handling and stability of the vehicle — and it also boasts an All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system which sends power to move all four wheels, allowing drivers to tackle even slippery or ice-covered roads.

Thankfully, we didn’t encounter any hazards to navigate on the three-hour drive to Canberra, apart from our overexcited three-year-old and unpredictable seven-month-old in the back seats.

We planned to stop at a wildlife park and enjoy a spot of lunch on the way, but the eldest had fallen asleep so our only respite was a KFC on the hard shoulder, a Bunnings toilet/nappy change stop and a brief visit to the iconic Big Merino in Goulburn.

The famous Big Merino in Goulburn. Picture: Ben Graham/news.com.au

I was able to recharge the battery on the long drive. Picture: Ben Graham/news.com.au

I wanted to see how far we could get on the car’s battery and it took us more than 100km belting down the highway.

However, one of the beauties of the Plug-In Hybrid is that you’re never left worrying that

you won’t make it to your destination. Once the battery runs out you can even recharge it using the power of the petrol engine on the road.

The car’s plug-in capability means that you can recharge anywhere that has a wall socket or charging point.

This means you can do all your city slicker activities, like heading to the shops or the beach using the electric power, and just plug it in when you get home. When you’re heading for a big trip you can fall back on the engine, and it has a big tank to boot.

You can even connect your hair dryer, coffee machine or outdoor cooker under 1500 Watts, for a proper road trip adventure.

However, a slight issue we encountered when we arrived in Canberra — thought to be one of the nation’s most progressive cities — was that there was no immediately available chargers for us at our hotel.

There were a couple of charging spots on the street outside our hotel. Picture: Ben Graham/news.com.au

The bloke at the reception informed us there were two Tesla-only chargers in the car park — but they weren’t compatible with our car and they were both taken anyway.

I was informed there were some on-street chargers at metered public parking spots outside, but it was cold and I wanted to park in the hotel so I could slap the suitcases in the lift and head to the pub for a well-earned schooner.

Besides, I’d already recharged the battery a little while on the highway and everywhere we wanted to go in Canberra — including a jaunt to Questacon and a tour of the local cafes — was pretty close.

In a nutshell that’s perhaps the main drawcard for the car. It has the electric functionality that makes it a guilt-free way to get around for short trips, but you’re not compelled to use its battery unless it’s convenient.

Not only that, its Vehicle-To-Load capacity allows drivers to power a range of domestic, office and leisure appliances via the power outlet, using the vehicle’s drive battery as a power source.

It’s certainly a box of tricks, but it doesn’t stop the kids screaming for six hours when you’re stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the Hume Highway.

So although there’s a whole new way to tackle the great Aussie roadtrip, some things never change.

The Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV is priced from $54,490 plus on-road costs. You can find out more about it here.

The writer travelled as a guest of Mitsubishi

Originally published as Outlander Plug-In Hybrid EV: Car exposes new roadtrip reality