Nissan and Mitsubishi Want to Bring an Electric Truck to America

Nissan and Mitsubishi have big plans for a joint electrified alliance.

written by Chase Bierenkoven^{Contributor
Chase Bierenkoven has been writing about cars in his head since he was a child. Now, he does it for real, covering automotive news and producing reviews for outlets like Edmunds, Forbes Wheels and CarBuzz. Chase's career as an automotive journalist began in 2020, and he has already written scores of road tests. Some favorites of Chase's include the Dodge Challenger 392, Mazda Miata, Kia EV6 and Bentley Bentayga. Outside his work with cars, Chase is often found justifying his latest broken German sports car to anyone that will listen or enjoying the outdoor spaces of his native Colorado.}
4/8/2024
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Nissan and Mitsubishi are working on electrified models for their lineups.
Plans include an electric pickup truck.
We think Nissan will add a Rogue PHEV to its lineup.

Nissan and Mitsubishi have been allied for years, but the partnership has resulted in just two U.S.-market products: the Nissan Rogue/Mitsubishi Outlander twins. An Automotive News report indicates that could be changing soon. According to AN, the automakers are plotting an electric or hybrid truck, as well as an EV for Mitsubishi and a plug-in hybrid (PHEV) that will be badged as a Nissan.

Unfortunately for truck fans, it’s likely the pair’s electric (or hybridized) truck won’t be here for some time. When it does arrive, the truck will allegedly be assembled in Mexico, as the 25% tariff on imported light trucks has previously kept the alliance from bringing pickups built overseas to U.S. soil. AN speculates the truck could land anywhere between 2027 and 2031 and will arrive as a replacement for the current Frontier. Frankly, 2031 may even be too soon. Nissan just redesigned the Frontier in 2022, and the previous truck served from 2005 to 2021.

While Nissan hasn't specified which vehicle will get the PHEV treatment, we can take an educated guess. Since the Rogue and Outlander share a common platform, and the Outlander offers a plug-in variant, the Rouge is the likely candidate for an electrified powertrain. While Nissan offers an EV here in the U.S., fleshing out its offerings with a hybrid is a good way to bridge the gap for those anxious about the new world of electric car ownership.

Just like the relationship between the Rouge and the Outlander, Nissan sharing its Ariya EV with Mitsubishi feels likely. However, Mitsubishi offers no specifics, instead saying it is evaluating an EV “with its partners” and that finding common ground with them right now is its priority.

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Edmunds says

Nissan and Mitsubishi’s partnership looks set to expand over the next few years and is posed to yield interesting results. Whatever becomes of the upcoming pickup, it’s hard to see the two not leaning into the off-road craze while they’re at it. Offering a Mitsubishi EV based on the Ariya seems like a no-brainer. As for the potential Rouge PHEV, this too seems like the path of least resistance, at least while the automakers work to flesh out their electrified lineups.

by Chase Bierenkoven

Chase Bierenkoven has been writing about cars in his head since he was a child. Now, he does it for real, covering automotive news and producing reviews for outlets like Edmunds, Forbes Wheels and CarBuzz. Chase's career as an automotive journalist began in 2020, and he has already written scores of road tests. Some favorites of Chase's include the Dodge Challenger 392, Mazda Miata, Kia EV6 and Bentley Bentayga. Outside his work with cars, Chase is often found justifying his latest broken German sports car to anyone that will listen or enjoying the outdoor spaces of his native Colorado.