Dive Brief:
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Mitsubishi announced that it will introduce its upcoming Eclipse Sportback EV to the North American market for the 2027 model year, with an arrival in the second half of this year.
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The automaker confirmed that the Eclipse Sportback EV will be sourced from Mitsubishi’s Alliance partner Nissan Motor Co. and is based on the current Nissan Leaf.
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Technical details, pricing, and an on-sale date will come in the near future, Mitsubishi says. The Sportback EV arrives as part of its Momentum 2030 business plan including “a strengthened partnership with the dealer network.”
Dive Insight:
The Eclipse Sportback EV puts a name and face on an EV that Mitsubishi confirmed last year would be on the way for summer 2026 deliveries.
Mitsubishi notes that the electric compact SUV will have front and rear styling that resemble that of other vehicles in the Mitsubishi global lineup, along with distinct front and rear lights and lighting signatures, plus sporty alloy wheels.
For Mitsubishi, the Sportback EV taps into two sets of heritage cues. First, it emphasizes that its Eclipse name dates back to 1990 in North America. And second, it follows in the steps of the i-MiEV, a tall and spacious electric minicar that Mitsubishi claims was the world’s first mass-produced EV when it arrived in some markets in 2009 and the U.S. and Canada in late 2011. The i-MiEV was discontinued after the 2017 model year.
In U.S. spec, the redesigned 2026 Nissan Leaf offers an EPA range of up to 303 miles from its larger 75-kWh battery pack. It starts at $31,535 including destination.
The Eclipse Sportback EV won’t be the brand’s only plug-in vehicle. The current 2026 Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in hybrid offers 45 miles of EPA-rated all-electric range on a full charge and 27 mpg on gasoline alone.
The Sportback EV is part of a rollout of fresh products over the next several years under a “Momentum 2030” five-year business plan in which Mitsubishi expands its lineup for North America, sets a path to electrification, modernizes its retail sales model, and plots a path to network expansion and sales growth.
According to Automotive News, Mitsubishi’s U.S. dealership count has fallen 16% since before the pandemic, with U.S. sales sliding about 20% since then. U.S. stores average just 15 new-vehicle sales a month and are eagerly awaiting a fresher, renewed product lineup.
From fiscal years 2026 to 2030, Mitsubishi says its U.S. vehicle lineup will “nearly double” versus today’s four models — suggesting that in addition to the forthcoming Eclipse Sportback EV, there are two new vehicles on the way.
In addition to the first look at the Sportback EV, Mitsubishi confirmed that a “rugged, off-road derivative of the Outlander SUV” will also arrive in early 2027.
