TOKYO – Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC) will use an evolved version of Super-All Wheel Control (S-AWC)* system in its plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model of the all-new Outlander crossover SUV, which is scheduled for launch in Japan in the second half of this fiscal year** and in the U.S. in the second half of the calendar year 2022. The new S-AWC integrated vehicle dynamics control system will provide safe, secure, and comfortable driving in various weather and road conditions.
The all-new Outlander PHEV model employs twin-motor 4WD that consists of one motor at the front and another one at the rear of the vehicle. By taking advantage of the electric motors‘ characteristic high response, high precision, and freedom in controlling the front and rear motors, the system optimally distributes the driving force between the front and rear wheels according to road and driving conditions.
Combining this with S-AWC increases vehicle maneuverability in driving, cornering, and braking. Conventional models employ a braking control system to control the brake forces in the left and right wheels only on the front, but the evolved S-AWC adds a braking control system for the rear wheels. This reduces the load on the front wheels and makes it possible to extract the maximum performance from all four tires in a more balanced manner and delivers handling true to the driver’s intent for safe, secure, and comfortable driving in various conditions.
In addition, seven drive modes can be selected depending on road conditions and driving style. Normal, the basic model, is optimized for normal driving on paved roads. Gravel mode provides balanced operability and road handling ability on unpaved or wet paved roads, and Snow mode delivers stable vehicle behavior on snowy and other slippery roads. In addition, there are Power mode, which offers powerful acceleration, and Eco mode that prioritizes economic and environmentally-friendly driving.
*Mitsubishi Motors’ all-wheel control technology that offers integrated control of Active Stability Control (ASC), Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), and Active Yaw Control (AYC), which controls the left and right wheels via braking.
**Fiscal 2021 is from April 2021 to March 2022.
