Mitsubishi is so confident it solved its stinky PHEV battery issues, it doubles production

By Nick Jaynes May 10, 2013

Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Good news everyone! Mitsubishi has solved its overheating battery issues and is doubling production of its new plug-in electric Outlander.

We reported last month that Mitsubishi had halted production after some of its production PHEV Outlanders were overheating and melting battery box adhesives, emitting an unpleasant odor.

Recommended Videos

The Japanese automaker has supposedly fixed the issues it was having with its batteries. It’s so confident in the fix that it has moved to double its monthly production from 2,000 to 4,000 units, according to Green Car Reports.

We wonder what Mitsubishi has done to fix its overheating batteries, whether it retrofitted its design or went back to the battery drawing board. Mitsubishi gets its lithium-ion batteries from the same supplier as Boeing had for its 787 Dreamliner, which had recently had similar battery issues.

It’s a daring move to double the production of a car that has only made headlines for its negative issues and one that few are chomping at the bit to get their hands on. In this way, however, Mitsubishi continues to surprise us for all the wrong reasons, as it often does.

Topics

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Nick Jaynes is the Automotive Editor for Digital Trends. He developed a passion for writing about cars working his way…

Cars

The UK’s Wayve brings its AI automated driving software to U.S. shores

wayve ai automated driving us driver assist2 1920x1152 1

It might seem that the autonomous driving trend is moving at full speed and on its own accord, especially if you live in California.Wayve, a UK startup that has received over $1 billion in funding, is now joining the crowded party by launching on-road testing of its AI learning system on the streets of San Francisco and the Bay Area.The announcement comes just weeks after Tesla unveiled its Robotaxi at the Warner Bros Studios in Burbank, California. It was also in San Francisco that an accident last year forced General Motors’ robotaxi service Cruise to stop its operations. And it’s mostly in California that Waymo, the only functioning robotaxi service in the U.S., first deployed its fleet of self-driving cars. As part of its move, Wayve opened a new office in Silicon Valley to support its U.S. expansion and AI development. Similarly to Tesla’s Full-Self Driving (FSD) software, the company says it’s using AI to provide automakers with a full range of driver assistance and automation features.“We are now testing our AI software in real-world environments across two continents,” said Alex Kendall, Wayve co-founder and CEO.The company has already conducted tests on UK roads since 2018. It received a huge boost earlier this year when it raised over $1 billion in a move led by Softbank and joined by Microsoft and Nvidia. In August, Uber also said it would invest to help the development of Wayve’s technology.Just like Tesla’s FSD, Wayve’s software provides an advanced driver assistance system that still requires driver supervision.Before driverless vehicles can legally hit the road, they must first pass strict safety tests.So far, Waymo’s technology, which relies on pre-mapped roads, sensors, cameras, radar, and lidar (a laser-light radar), is the only of its kind to have received the nod from U.S. regulators.

Cars

Pirelli’s new ‘Cyber Tyre’ could be the next traction control

Red Pagani Utopia Roadster in a spotlight on a white background

If you’ve heard whispers about the “Pirelli Cyber Tyre,” or spotted the news about the Italian manufacturer’s work with Bosch, Pagani, and McLaren, then you may be wondering: What makes the new tire so clever? Smart tires as a concept go back a few years, and Pirelli has a habit of squeezing in tech wherever possible. So, what's different this time?

Well, plenty of drivers know what happens when you hit a patch of ice, or test your luck through a particularly bad downpour. Your vehicle loses grip and unless you have the skills needed to get it back on track, you’re probably going to wind up pitched into a ditch or headed sideways into a tree. Things like stability control and traction control help a lot, but they can’t do much when you do start hydroplaning.

Cars

Scout Motors creates connections with its new electric Terra truck and Traveler SUV

Scout Terra and Traveler driving onto the compass-face stage.

Scout Motors invited roughly 300 people to the hills of Franklin, Tennessee, to reveal the Scout Traveler SUV and Terra truck electric concept vehicles. The automaker brought in journalists such as myself, active lifestyle bloggers, YouTubers, automotive industry analysts, and enthusiasts and fans of the original International Harvester Scout.

Scout Motors calls the new, rugged vehicle the Connection Machine. The reveal event aimed to establish a solid connection between the concept EVs and the attendees. The automaker also used the occasion to announce the immediate ability to reserve a Scout vehicle with a $100 fully refundable deposit.
The Scout legend