Mitsubishi Motors North America has unveiled a fully electric subcompact SUV, the 2027 Eclipse Sportback.
Scheduled to reach the North American market in late summer or early autumn 2026, the model is being developed with Alliance partner Nissan Motor and is based on the next-generation Nissan LEAF.
In its statement, the company said: “Based on the highly touted new-generation Nissan LEAF, the Mitsubishi Motors Eclipse Sportback EV will offer cosmetic changes that differentiate the two vehicles and make this model uniquely Mitsubishi.”
Mitsubishi said it will feature visual differences including unique front and rear fascias, distinct lighting signatures, bespoke alloy wheels, and Mitsubishi’s Triple Diamond badging.
The Eclipse Sportback sits within the automaker's Momentum 2030 business plan, under which electrification is one of four strategic pillars alongside a broader product line-up, a modernised retail sales model, and a strengthened dealer network.
The plan also commits Mitsubishi to launching at least one new or substantially updated vehicle each year through fiscal year 2030.
Mitsubishi traces its electric vehicle development back to the 1970s.
The i-MiEV, launched in select markets in 2009 and later in North America in late 2011, is described by the company as the world's "first" mass-produced electric vehicle.
Its Outlander PHEV, introduced globally in 2012 and arriving in North America in 2018, is cited by the company as the world’s “first” plug-in hybrid SUV.
An off-road variant of the Outlander is slated to follow the Eclipse Sportback in early 2027. The Eclipse nameplate first appeared in North America in 1990.
Separately, Mitsubishi confirmed last month that its forthcoming cross-country SUV will carry the Pajero name, with a global unveiling scheduled for autumn 2026.
The Pajero was withdrawn from overseas markets in 2021, and the upcoming model will mark its return after a five-year absence.
First introduced in 1982, the Pajero was conceived as a recreational vehicle combining the off-road capability of a four-wheel-drive with passenger car comfort.
