Mitsubishi revives Eclipse name for Nissan Leaf-based electric SUV

Mitsubishi Motors has officially revived the Eclipse name for its latest electric vehicle model to be marketed in North America. Unlike the legendary Eclipse, known as a high-performance sports coupe from 1989 to 2011, the new Eclipse Sportback EV arrives as an electric crossover based on the latest generation Nissan Leaf. Carscoops reported on Tuesday local time that Mitsubishi confirmed the Eclipse Sportback EV will launch as a 2027 model year vehicle and begin sales in North America in the second half of this year. The Eclipse Sportback EV is visually distinguished from the Nissan Leaf through several specific touches, although the LED headlights used appear very similar to the Nissan Leaf’s. The main difference lies in the absence of the black trim panel connecting the two headlights found on the Nissan model. From the side, the vehicle’s profile is nearly identical to the Leaf, retaining the fastback-style crossover silhouette. Mitsubishi has only added an EV emblem on the front doors, chrome accents around the windows, and 18-inch aerodynamic wheels also used on the Leaf S+ variant. However, this model does not receive the ‘3D holographic LED’ tail lights featured on the top-tier Nissan Leaf Platinum+ variant. Mitsubishi has not yet shown the cabin appearance of the Eclipse Sportback EV. For reference, the latest Nissan Leaf offers two digital displays measuring 12.3 inches or 14.3 inches depending on the variant. It is not yet known if the Eclipse Sportback EV will also be equipped with an electrochromic panoramic roof and a Bose Personal audio system with speakers integrated into the headrests. Beneath its bodywork, the Eclipse Sportback EV uses the CMF-EV platform that also underpins the Nissan Leaf and Nissan Ariya. The drive system uses a single electric motor producing either 174 hp (130 kW) or 214 hp (160 kW), depending on the variant. For range, the Leaf is capable of reaching up to 488 kilometres based on the US EPA standard. Mitsubishi stated that information on pricing and complete specifications for the Eclipse Sportback EV will be announced closer to its official market launch. Besides the Eclipse Sportback EV, Mitsubishi also confirmed it is preparing a rugged SUV variant based on the Outlander, designed for off-road needs and scheduled to launch in early 2027. The Japanese manufacturer targets introducing a new model or significant update every year until 2030 as part of its global strategy.