15.10.15, Surrey Top-selling plug-in SUV gets major revisions in a bid to keep its market advantage. Mitsubishi's Outlander plug-in hybrid has become such a hit in the UK that it currently accounts for a staggering 50% of sales in the EV and PHEV sector. It has brought Mitsubishi a prominence not seen for decades, and the desire to keep this while underscoring its position as a producer of green SUVs are drivers for comprehensive updates to both looks and performance. The secret of the PHEV's success is that it is currently the market's only plug-in hybrid SUV, which means it qualifies for the government's ￡5000 subsidy to buyers of electric cars while being sold for the same price as the regular Outlander diesel. Best of all, the PHEV's fuel economy and CO_2 figures mean it attracts a benefit-in-kind rate of just 5%. Even for a 40% tax payer, the tax bill can be as low as ￡685 a year. On the move, there's a further saving, because an owner can charge the batteries overnight or at a fast charger, adding a real-world 25 miles of cheap electric travel to each journey.
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