Mitsubishi is reportedly on a wait-and-see strategy when it comes to introducing the Triton plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). The car brand plans to observe how its rivals perform before giving the green light to offering pickup trucks with a hybrid powertrain.
As reported by CarSales, Mitsubishi is holding back from offering the Triton PHEV, as most pickup truck buyers are not interested in the vehicle with a hybrid powertrain. This insight came from Mitsubishi Australia Product Strategy Manager Bruce Hampel, who shared with CarSales that the Japanese car brand is taking its time regarding the launch of a Triton truck with hybrid power.
Hampel did mention that a Triton PHEV is on Mitsubishi’s list, but it’s currently not the car brand’s top priority since it plans to evaluate how other brands perform when it comes to selling or offering a PHEV pickup truck.
“We’re already seeing some of the other OEMs [Original Equipment Manufacturers] taking those first steps into electrification, into pickups, but we’re not really seeing that pull from the market for the desirability of those types of products in the mainstream at this stage,” Hampel said to CarSales.
Despite this, Hampel revealed that Mitsubishi will not let itself be left behind, as he thinks that it will also be “obliged to follow suit at some time in the future.” It’s just that Mitsubishi wants to take its time and see how its competitors perform in the PHEV pickup truck market.
Ford is among the car brands that have launched a PHEV truck, with the Ranger PHEV, a truck marketed by the Blue Oval brand that offers “the best of both worlds.” The Ford Ranger PHEV is equipped with a 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine, an electric motor, and a rechargeable battery system.
BYD has also joined the PHEV truck party with the Shark, a model that is currently available in the Philippines. Powering the BYD Shark 6 DMO is a combo of a 29.6 kWh BYD Blade battery, a 1.5T onboard generator, and dual electric motors, which translates to a combined output of 429 horsepower and 650 Nm of torque.
Meanwhile, Toyota is also looking to join the electric truck party with the introduction of the all-new Hilux, set to debut on November 10, 2025.
