Mitsubishi’s Taiwanese EV Has More Grunt Than The Most Powerful Evo Ever

It’s no secret that Mitsubishi has lagged behind its competitors in the electric vehicle space. Rather than go it alone and develop and build a bespoke EV from the ground up, it has instead tapped Taiwanese manufacturer Foxconn and launched a rebranded version of its Foxtron Bria. This new Mitsubishi, badged the ASX VR-e and initially launching in Australia, is unlike any other vehicle from the Japanese brand.

The highlight is obviously the powertrain. All versions of the ASX VR-e will use the same 57.7-kWh lithium-ion battery, which is relatively small in the current EV space. The LS, Aspire, and Exceed will all pair this battery with a single rear-mounted electric motor delivering 229 horsepower (171 kW) and 258 pound-feet (350 Nm) of torque. Those figures are enough to send it to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a respectable 6.8 seconds.

Read: An All-New Mitsubishi Outlander May Launch In 2028

Power-hungry buyers will be pleased to hear Mitsubishi has them covered. The flagship GSR model combines the standard car’s rear-mounted motor with one at the front, lifting combined output to a frankly staggering 459 hp (342 kW) and 516 lb-ft (700 Nm) of torque. To put that into perspective, that’s more than the craziest Mitsubishi Lancer Evo ever built, the UK-only Evo X FQ-440 MR with its 440 hp and 412 lb-ft (559 Nm). While the new ASX VR-e may not appeal to all the same enthusiasts who love the legendary Evo, it has plenty of performance to thrill, hitting 62 mph (100 km/h) in 3.9 seconds.

Mitsubishi says all four versions will include Eco, Comfort, and Sport models, and in the GSR, the Sport model will automatically adjust the power delivery between 50/50 and 30/70 front-to-rear.

All-important range details remain a mystery, but given the small pack, prospective owners shouldn’t expect figures much beyond 248 miles (400 km). While it’s hard to argue with the performance on offer, charging is below par. Mitsubishi says DC fast charging is capped at just 134 kW while AC charging is limited to 6.6 kW.

As the ASX VR-e’s design is lifted directly from the Foxtron Bria, which was styled by Pininfarina, it obviously looks different from any other Mitsubishi to come before it. That’s hardly a criticism, as the Japanese brand hasn’t built a beautiful car for years. We wouldn’t go as far as to say the ASX VR-e is beautiful, but it’s certainly stylish and has a European flavor to it.

What About The Cabin?

The cabin features a 15.6-inch central infotainment display, a 9.2-inch digital driver display, and a sporty steering wheel. Other key features include configurable ambient lighting, a Surround View Monitor, leather or cloth seats depending on configuration, and autonomous parking.

Mitsubishi has also confirmed the Exceed and GSR models will ship as standard with a panoramic glass roof, electric tailgate, and 12-speaker audio system. The cabin won’t be particularly flamboyant as it’ll only be available in grey or black with blue stitching.

While some customers will no doubt be wary of buying a Mitsubishi that’s really an EV from a Taiwanese brand with no history of building cars, the ASX VR-e will be delivered with a 5-year / 100,000 km (62,000-mile) warranty. This warranty can be extended to 10 years / 200,000 km (124,000 miles) if all scheduled services are completed at a Mitsubishi dealership. Regardless of servicing, the battery pack is warrantied for eight years or 160,000 km (99,400 miles). Prices will be announced later this year as the EV starts to arrive at dealerships.