AUTO

Mitsubishi PHEV Pops its (Camper) Top

February 10, 2023

We’re seeing more electrified campers, and it’s thrilling to see Mitsubishi enter the camping fray with new options to grow the EV market!

A Japanese car dealership and camper conversion shop, Nishiowari Mitsubishi Motor Sales, has engineered an integrated camper van called the Outlander PHEV E:Pop. This pop-top camper wagon uses the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV as a base to create an efficient vehicle that can go long ranges and still create a nice little base camp setup.

With five or seven seats and two convertible beds, it can sleep up to four people. The 20-kWh lithium-ion battery pack can be used to run the vehicle’s heater or air conditioner overnight and also has a 1,500 W AC outlet for powering camping equipment. The Outlander PHEV’s plug-in hybrid powertrain offers the advantage of being able to run the vehicle overnight and still be able to drive back home thanks to the gas tank as your backup.

The Outlander PHEV E:Pop has a tall, black pop-up roof that opens to create more headroom inside and a tent-top bedroom. Nishiowari has installed a sleeper platform into the tailgate area, combining with the fold-down rear seats into a bed.

Nishiowari has reworked the E:Pop kit for the latest generation of the Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV, which was recently showcased at the 2023 Japan Camping Car Show. Full vehicle prices start at ¥5,741,100 ($43,750) for the five-seat E:Pop and ¥6,171,200 ($47,000) for the seven-seater.

Nishiowari also showed off the Delica D:5 D:Pop camper van, which has a similar sleeper arrangement to the E:Pop but benefits from a flat van floor that allows for an interior dining area. The D:Pop doesn’t have the benefit of a plug-in hybrid powertrain, but it does come with 4WD as standard and starts at ¥4,913,800 ($37,450).