After building its reputation with tearaways like the Evolution and Eclipse, Mitsubishi is focusing on hybrid power and SUVs. This, er, evolution has already spawned the eX and GT-PHEV concepts, but there's still room for more. Set to debut later this month in Tokyo, the e-Evolution will provide a peek at the electric SUV of Mitsubishi's future.
The exterior of the car is still under wraps, but we have a good idea of what hides beneath the skin. It'll be purely electric, with three motors combining to create a smart four-wheel drive system. That's two motors on the rear wheels, capable of smart torque vectoring by using a system called Dual Motor Active Yaw Control, with one more on the front axle for better grip in slippery conditions.
Along with the triple-motor four-wheel drive system, the car will be used to highlight a new onboard AI assistant. The idea behind the system is simple: it's designed to make it easier to interact with the car, with high-tech voice recognition software for a more natural conversational feel to interactions. It can differentiate between the driver and passengers based on their voices, and is capable of activating things like the air conditioning and windscreen wipers.
That's something Audi – among others – has promised with its concepts, while the promise of a connected drone to check on traffic has also been floated by a range of manufacturers. Mitsubishi says drones (and other devices) could be connected to by the AI to give a look at traffic conditions, or simply to give passengers an aerial view of the surrounding scenery.
Although it's just a concept at the moment, the elements of the e-Evolution are likely to show up in production cars. It'll be displayed alongside the new Eclipse Cross at the Tokyo Motor Show that kicks off on October 27.
Source: Mitsubishi