Between 2003 and 2011, Mitsubishi produced a seven-seat MPV, the Grandis, as a successor to the Chariot. Now, the Japanese company is announcing its return, but as a version of Renault’s Symbioz crossover.
There is not much information about this car yet, and what we do know for now is speculation. Several teasers have been released that suggest that the car could share much of the bodywork and interior design with the 4.4-meter-long Renault Symbioz.
Also, some sources say that it could be equipped with an ADAS system package and Google services. Mitsubishi announced that this model will be presented in July, while it will reach the European market at the end of Q3 2025.
When it comes to the powertrain, the new Grandis will be offered as a mild hybrid and a hybrid, and a new compact EV crossover will join it a little later. Rumor has it that it could be Mitsubishi’s version of the Renault Scenic E-Tech.
Mitsubishi plans to electrify half of its fleet by 2030 and become a fully electric brand by 2035. The first step towards this is announced for 2026, when an electric SUV should hit the market. This is the manufacturer’s second EV after the i-MiEV.
By 2028, the Japanese manufacturer plans to launch nine EVs, including two on Renault/Nissan platforms, a two-row SUV, as well as a mid-size pickup that will be developed in cooperation with Nissan and will be produced in Mexico.
Although the company is still hiding a lot, some information says that it could be similar to an electric crossover that will succeed the Nissan Leaf. Nissan’s electric crossover will debut by the end of 2025, when production will also start.
What we know for now is that the new SUV will be built on the AmpR Medium platform. The same platform is used by the Nissan Ariya, Renault Megane E-Tech and Renault Scenic E-Tech.
The Mitsubishi Fuso eCanter Sensor Collect concept is an electric garbage truck that, thanks to autonomous technology, follows the worker/driver during waste collection. It is part of the program of the Japan Environmental Sanitation Center (JESC), to reduce CO2 during waste collection, and increase work efficiency.
The first concept was produced in 2020, while this is an improved version based on the production eCanter, equipped with a 6.4-ton lithium-ion battery. The vehicle was tested in the city of Kawasaki, and the truck successfully handled various situations while following its driver who was walking in front of it.
The truck is equipped with front and rear cameras and sensors, thanks to which it follows the driver when he leaves his seat and starts walking. It stops at places for waste collection or other places designated by the operator, which significantly reduces the burden on the worker, who does not have to constantly get in and out of the vehicle. It is also equipped with level 2 autonomous driving technology and level 2 ADAS, which is common in most new production vehicles. Some may feel that they need a higher level of autonomy, but these systems are still good enough for low-speed operations, and the garbage truck follows a predetermined waste collection route with no problem.
Thanks to the cameras, the vehicle can detect various obstacles and other road users. If there is a person in front of the vehicle, the system will activate the brakes and avoid contact, or if another vehicle is parked along the route of the truck, it will make a maneuver and bypass it, and then continue to follow its driver.
In addition, this vehicle has a system that detects the weight and volume of loaded waste, as well as the number of loaded pieces of waste, and shares the information with central facilities, which helps improve efficiency.
The company said that they will continue testing during the year, which will contribute to the development of the next generation of its electric trucks.
