Mitsibishi e-Evolution Concept revealed
Japanese brand previews new direction for iconic Evo badge
Mitsubishi's iconic Evo has evolved into something completely different.
Gone is the rally-bred pocket rocket it became synonomous with on the way to winning four consecutive World Rally Championships between 1996 and 1999 and now it has morphed into radical, high-riding electric SUV, as previewed by the e-Evolution Concept revealed at the 2017 Tokyo motor show today.
The Japanese car maker says the shift in strategy "will expand its customer base, leveraging its strong pedigree of driving performance and reliability with breakthrough SUVs and crossovers" with a production version set to hit the streets before the turn of the century.
Like most modern EVs, and future concepts, the e-Evolution rides on a skateboard platform with a low-slun battery pack powering three electric motors - one across the front axle and two individual ones on the rear wheels - providing it with the all-wheel drive traction the Evo badge is renowned for.
It has yet to reveal any outputs for the concept car, either its power or driving range, but Mitsubishi's head of global design, Tsunehiro Kunimoto, says the e-Evolution has been designed to showcase the company's new product strategy that aims to "provide vehicles that fulfill our customers' desires through outstanding design, combined with the power, authenticity and carefully-considered functionality Mitsubishi Motors is known for."
The sharp-edged design of the concept is as radical a departure as the powertrain itself. The four-door, coupe-like body features short front and rear overhangs, a wraparound windscreen and a floating roof that features flying butresses extending over the stepply-raked rear windscreen.
At the front, the grille is covered by glass to protect the sensors required for its autonomous driving functionality while large lower intakes cool the front brakes, which feature a world-first electric callpers - replacing a conventional hydrualic set-up.
Inside the cabin, a large flat screen panel extends across the width of dashboard to display outside conditions and navigation, while two supplementary screens support rear-view cameras.
Mitsubishi is also using the e-Evolution to showcase its future developments with artificial intelligence, including a driver coaching function that reads the road ahead and driving behaviour to assist those behind the wheel to get the maximum performance from the car - whether that be efficiency or outright speed.