Latest news with #Westcott
Perth Now
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Why Mitsubishi thinks its new Renault-based ASX will appeal to Aussie buyers
Mitsubishi Australia is just months away from launching its next-generation ASX SUV locally, and it justifies the move to rebadge a Renault as a means to lift the nameplate's level of sophistication and attract new buyers. The upcoming ASX is a restyled Renault Captur, and though powertrains and pricing aren't yet known, it's expected to be skewed towards the upper end of its segment – a departure from the current ASX's entry-level positioning. Mitsubishi's decision was enabled by its three-way alliance with Nissan and Renault, through which Mitsubishi Motors Australia CEO Shaun Westcott told CarExpert there were multiple potential candidates to wear the ASX name. 'We were very specific about what we selected, and through our parent company and our alliance partners, we have access to a number of different products. We very specifically selected that one,' he said. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'It was intentional, and we've done it based on some substantial market research understanding one, our existing customers, but not only our existing customers, our potential future customers.' Though he stopped short of naming these SUV candidates, potential cars could have included the Nissan Kicks, or Mitsubishi's own Xforce, which was developed for Southeast Asia and which has previously been the subject of ASX-related speculation. It's unlikely Mitsubishi would have rebadged a Nissan given the two brands compete in the same Australian segments. 'What we've identified in that small SUV space, that there's a white space, or there are customers who currently don't buy Mitsubishis who we believe we can conquest and bring into the brand,' Mr Westcott added. 'Have we done that before? Yes, we have. The Outlander is perfect proof. The Outlander is the number two selling car in the segment … depending on which month you look at, that is significantly better than the previous generation of Outlander. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Mitsubishi Xforce 'I will remind you that in 2020 … I was asked a very similar question, and they said, 'but it's going to cost much more, will people buy it?' And the rest is history. The numbers speak for themselves.' Indeed, Mitsubishi's current-generation Outlander, which launched locally in 2022, was Australia's fifth-best-selling model in 2024. With 27,613 units sold, it far surpassed the previous generation's 2019 peak of 17,514, a trend the brand wants to replicate with the incoming ASX. 'I think we have that opportunity with this car because we've done extensive market research, we've surveyed more than 6000 potential buyers, not only existing customers, but also intenders to buy in that segment,' Mr Westcott said. 'We have stacked that car up against a number of our competitors, and across the board it has come out as one of the most preferred products. Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 'Our intended outcome is to do the same with the new ASX, as we did with the Outlander, which is take a product which we have now given its own Mitsubishi appeal and Mitsubishi look, but which is inherently smart, stylish and sophisticated, a lot of technology in the car, much lower emissions, light on fuel. 'We think it's the right product, considering also NVES and the market and where we're at, we think it's the right product at the right time.' The topic of Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) could open the door to hybrid variants of the ASX. In Europe, the ASX is offered with two mild-hybrid options, as well as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). These powertrains would bolster Mitsubishi's hybrid efforts in Australia, supporting the Outlander PHEV. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Outgoing Mitsubishi ASX When asked whether Mitsubishi expected the new ASX to be priced higher than the outgoing entry-level, budget-minded model, Mr Westcott simply replied, 'It will be'. 'It's got more technology in it, it's more sophisticated, it's more stylish. The older ASX, as we know and I was often reminded, the platform was 14 years old – the car itself wasn't, but the platform was,' he said. 'So we were able to sell that car as an entry-level because it had all the technology, but at a very affordable price. This is a whole new ball game. 'The technology in the car is good, the ADAS is improved, everything about the car is a significant step up from the old ASX. We do think that the price point will be justified.' MORE: Mitsubishi ASX – Early details uncovered for new European SUV MORE: Mitsubishi reveals another hybrid SUV, but it won't come to Australia MORE: Everything Mitsubishi ASX
7NEWS
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Mitsubishi blames Australian Government for weak EV demand
Mitsubishi has long prioritised plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) over pure electric vehicles (EVs) in Australia, but it says it would sell more EVs here if the country's charging infrastructure was up to scratch. The Japanese brand has only ever sold one EV in Australia: the i-MiEV micro car between 2010 and 2012. It has since shifted its attention to PHEVs, introducing Outlander PHEV in 2017 and later the Eclipse Cross PHEV in 2021. Despite that, Mitsubishi Motors Australia president and CEO Shaun Westcott told CarExpert that Mitsubishi isn't against selling more EVs in Australia, and reinforced the Japanese auto brand's plans to introduce one co-developed with Taiwanese firm Foxtron in late 2026. 'We will bring product. We have no problem in bringing product. We have product, and we can demonstrate that. We have multiple Alliance partners. We have EVs in other countries,' he said. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. ABOVE: Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross PHEV Mr Westcott is referring to Mitsubishi's industrial alliance with Nissan and Renault, which has borne a handful of other EVs overseas including the European Eclipse Cross EV, a rebadged Renault Scenic E-Tech, while Mitsubishi has also previewed its own version of the third-generation Nissan Leaf. But Mr Westcott pointed out that several of Mitsubishi's rival brands in Australia have introduced EVs to lukewarm reception, and he suggested that cooling demand for EVs is not just due to the lack of EV chargers but the fact battery-electric vehicles still rely largely on coal-fired power in most Australian states. 'As we sit here today, we have competitors in market who have EVs in their brand, that I can tell you as a fact are sitting in their showroom and they've been sitting there for months, and they can't sell them,' he said. 'Those companies have to discount those costs below the cost of production just to get them to move out of the showroom. That is not sustainable. ABOVE: Nissan Leaf 'So, despite all the political commentary around it, it's not the lack of EVs that's causing the problem. It's the lack of investment by government… in the infrastructure. And when we talk about infrastructure, this is not just chargers; there's a gap between the chargers and the source of energy.' Mr Westcott explained that the vast majority of electricity in Australian states like New South Wales is still generated by coal – a claim backed by NSW Resources that states coal makes up 'approximately 80 per cent of the electricity produced in NSW'. 'Then you add gas and other fossil fuels on top of that, you get to about 90 per cent, and you now have zero tailpipe emissions, but all you're doing is you're polluting in Lithgow [a major electricity production region] – well, mate, the wind blows from Lithgow to Sydney as well,' he said. 'All you've done is shift the emissions from the tailpipe to the power station.' ABOVE: Renault Scenic E-Tech Mr Westcott continued by saying an additional challenge was transporting electricity produced via renewable methods like solar or wind, another area in which he said infrastructure investment and planning have been lacking. 'Getting the energy from there to where the car is to where the charger is, requires significant – and I'm talking billions of dollars – investment in infrastructure, but I haven't seen any plans for that yet,' he said. 'And I know there are some plans, but I'm seeing challenges in getting that turned into reality. So there's a gap between where we are today, practically speaking, the reality, and the ambition.' There are current plans to modernise Australia's electricity grid, as evidenced by the National Renewable Energy Priority List, for example. The list outlines 56 'priority projects' which could provide an additional 16 gigaWatts of electricity generation – though this has yet to be fully approved through the necessary processes at all levels of government. ABOVE: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV Mr Westcott says these factors are why Mitsubishi is 'pushing PHEV', a powertrain type that he says has the mechanical capability to support the driving habits of most Australians. That's despite 25,613 PHEVs having been sold in the first six months of 2025, compared to 47,145 EVs. 'We have access to our customers' information on that … they drive their car in pure EV [mode] 83 per cent of the time. For most people's daily commute [~30km on average], the PHEV battery covers that. Our range exceeds that,' he said. 'I can travel for two or three days without charging my car. I have solar at work, I have solar home. I have zero emissions, in my case, 93 per cent of the time… right here today, with no infrastructure. 'On the topic of the FBT [fringe benefits tax], I think that not extending the FBT [exemption] on PHEVs was a major problem, major mistake, because we could reduce emissions dramatically right here today, just by promoting PHEVs and taking away all that range anxiety and all those other concerns [of EVs].
7NEWS
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Why Mitsubishi thinks its new Renault-based ASX will appeal to Aussie buyers
Mitsubishi Australia is just months away from launching its next-generation ASX SUV locally, and it justifies the move to rebadge a Renault as a means to lift the nameplate's level of sophistication and attract new buyers. The upcoming ASX is a restyled Renault Captur, and though powertrains and pricing aren't yet known, it's expected to be skewed towards the upper end of its segment – a departure from the current ASX's entry-level positioning. Mitsubishi's decision was enabled by its three-way alliance with Nissan and Renault, through which Mitsubishi Motors Australia CEO Shaun Westcott told CarExpert there were multiple potential candidates to wear the ASX name. 'We were very specific about what we selected, and through our parent company and our alliance partners, we have access to a number of different products. We very specifically selected that one,' he said. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. 'It was intentional, and we've done it based on some substantial market research understanding one, our existing customers, but not only our existing customers, our potential future customers.' Though he stopped short of naming these SUV candidates, potential cars could have included the Nissan Kicks, or Mitsubishi's own Xforce, which was developed for Southeast Asia and which has previously been the subject of ASX-related speculation. It's unlikely Mitsubishi would have rebadged a Nissan given the two brands compete in the same Australian segments. 'What we've identified in that small SUV space, that there's a white space, or there are customers who currently don't buy Mitsubishis who we believe we can conquest and bring into the brand,' Mr Westcott added. 'Have we done that before? Yes, we have. The Outlander is perfect proof. The Outlander is the number two selling car in the segment … depending on which month you look at, that is significantly better than the previous generation of Outlander. ABOVE: Mitsubishi Xforce 'I will remind you that in 2020 … I was asked a very similar question, and they said, 'but it's going to cost much more, will people buy it?' And the rest is history. The numbers speak for themselves.' Indeed, Mitsubishi's current-generation Outlander, which launched locally in 2022, was Australia's fifth-best-selling model in 2024. With 27,613 units sold, it far surpassed the previous generation's 2019 peak of 17,514, a trend the brand wants to replicate with the incoming ASX. 'I think we have that opportunity with this car because we've done extensive market research, we've surveyed more than 6000 potential buyers, not only existing customers, but also intenders to buy in that segment,' Mr Westcott said. 'We have stacked that car up against a number of our competitors, and across the board it has come out as one of the most preferred products. ABOVE: Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV 'Our intended outcome is to do the same with the new ASX, as we did with the Outlander, which is take a product which we have now given its own Mitsubishi appeal and Mitsubishi look, but which is inherently smart, stylish and sophisticated, a lot of technology in the car, much lower emissions, light on fuel. 'We think it's the right product, considering also NVES and the market and where we're at, we think it's the right product at the right time.' The topic of Australia's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) could open the door to hybrid variants of the ASX. In Europe, the ASX is offered with two mild-hybrid options, as well as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). These powertrains would bolster Mitsubishi's hybrid efforts in Australia, supporting the Outlander PHEV. ABOVE: Outgoing Mitsubishi ASX When asked whether Mitsubishi expected the new ASX to be priced higher than the outgoing entry-level, budget-minded model, Mr Westcott simply replied, 'It will be'. 'It's got more technology in it, it's more sophisticated, it's more stylish. The older ASX, as we know and I was often reminded, the platform was 14 years old – the car itself wasn't, but the platform was,' he said. 'So we were able to sell that car as an entry-level because it had all the technology, but at a very affordable price. This is a whole new ball game. 'The technology in the car is good, the ADAS is improved, everything about the car is a significant step up from the old ASX. We do think that the price point will be justified.'
7NEWS
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- 7NEWS
Mitsubishi boss slams federal emissions regulations, "naivety" around EVs
The Australian Government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) penalties officially came into effect on July 1, but Mitsubishi Motors Australia's president and CEO Shaun Westcott claims they won't force an uptick in electric vehicle (EV) sales. Designed to incentivise manufacturers to reduce CO2 emissions across their vehicle lineups, the NVES commenced on January 1, 2025. If automakers exceed an average carbon emissions target on the vehicles they sell each year, they'll be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle which exceeds the target. Speaking at the recent local launch for the updated Mitsubishi Outlander, Mr Westcott addressed the issue of NVES by telling CarExpert he agreed with its fundamental motives. 'It's important that people understand that I personally, and as a company, we are very concerned about sustainability and the environment, and we think that the world should be doing something to reduce emissions,' he said. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. 'That's not just for our industry, it's for everything. We need to be looking at reducing significant emissions to protect our planet for the future.' The NVES sets out to do just that. Put simply, manufacturers are now subject to CO2 limits for new cars, which are 141g/km for passenger cars and 210g/km for light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty SUVs. These limits will reduce every year until 2029, forcing manufacturers to sell increasingly efficient vehicles. Among the ways to get around this and continue to sell 'dirtier' vehicles is to sell more zero- and low-emission cars like EVs and hybrids, but Mr Westcott doesn't expect government regulations to reverse recent trends in EV demand. 'I think there's a degree of naivety that thinks that if you just penalise us as [manufacturers], all of us, that somehow that's miraculously going to change the market,' he said. ABOVE: Australia's four best-selling EVs. 'And the reality is, as we sit here today, at last count, and I'm losing count, there are [more than 85] battery EV options available in the Australian market. There is no shortage of choice, and yet battery-electric vehicles are still in [low demand]. 'That's not because of penalties or a lack of penalties. We've got plenty of those, but they're not going to change the equation, because there are other pieces in the puzzle that are missing. 'Any solid, rational person will understand that you need to address, and whether it's mathematics or accounting, you've got to balance the equation. 'We, as a [manufacturer], cannot force you or [anyone] to buy an EV, and you can penalise us to death. I still am not going to force you to buy an EV.' Mitsubishi's current focus is firmly on plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), though it does have plans to launch an EV co-developed with Foxtron in the second half of 2026. Fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemptions for PHEVs recently came to an end though, a move Mr Westcott has previously labelled a mistake. In the first half of 2025, 25,613 PHEVs were delivered across Australia, a significant increase on the 8223 delivered in the same period last year. EVs, meanwhile, have notched 47,145 deliveries in the first half of 2025, but that number is down on the 50,905 delivered in the first half of 2024. 'We need to understand the reasons that people aren't buying EVs, and that includes, among other things – there's a few things – but one of them is primarily infrastructure. Where do I charge this car?,' Mr Westcott said. 'And if I'm a tradie and I've got five jobs to do, and the current technology doesn't allow me to tow a trailer that weighs 3.5 tonnes full of tools or cement or tiles for eight hours of the day, so I can get to the five jobs that I need to do without spending an hour or two hours charging my car every two hours, then I'm going to make no money, mate. I'm not going to make a living. 'There's a practicality, there's common sense, maybe, but just some practicality that's missing in what's happened with NVES. The ambition is right, but there's a gap between ambition and reality. 'And I don't see anybody that's talking about how we're going to fix those gaps that exist between ambition and reality. Just penalising us is not going to force people to buy cars. 'We can't force people to buy cars. We are a democratic country, and people have free choice.'
Perth Now
07-07-2025
- Automotive
- Perth Now
Mitsubishi boss slams federal emissions regulations, "naivety" around EVs
The Australian Government's New Vehicle Efficiency Standard (NVES) penalties officially came into effect on July 1, but Mitsubishi Motors Australia's president and CEO Shaun Westcott claims they won't force an uptick in electric vehicle (EV) sales. Designed to incentivise manufacturers to reduce CO2 emissions across their vehicle lineups, the NVES commenced on January 1, 2025. If automakers exceed an average carbon emissions target on the vehicles they sell each year, they'll be penalised $100 per g/km of CO2 for every vehicle which exceeds the target. Speaking at the recent local launch for the updated Mitsubishi Outlander, Mr Westcott addressed the issue of NVES by telling CarExpert he agreed with its fundamental motives. 'It's important that people understand that I personally, and as a company, we are very concerned about sustainability and the environment, and we think that the world should be doing something to reduce emissions,' he said. Hundreds of new car deals are available through CarExpert right now. Get the experts on your side and score a great deal. Browse now. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'That's not just for our industry, it's for everything. We need to be looking at reducing significant emissions to protect our planet for the future.' The NVES sets out to do just that. Put simply, manufacturers are now subject to CO2 limits for new cars, which are 141g/km for passenger cars and 210g/km for light commercial vehicles and heavy-duty SUVs. These limits will reduce every year until 2029, forcing manufacturers to sell increasingly efficient vehicles. Among the ways to get around this and continue to sell 'dirtier' vehicles is to sell more zero- and low-emission cars like EVs and hybrids, but Mr Westcott doesn't expect government regulations to reverse recent trends in EV demand. 'I think there's a degree of naivety that thinks that if you just penalise us as [manufacturers], all of us, that somehow that's miraculously going to change the market,' he said. Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert Supplied Credit: CarExpert ABOVE: Australia's four best-selling EVs. 'And the reality is, as we sit here today, at last count, and I'm losing count, there are [more than 85] battery EV options available in the Australian market. There is no shortage of choice, and yet battery-electric vehicles are still in [low demand]. 'That's not because of penalties or a lack of penalties. We've got plenty of those, but they're not going to change the equation, because there are other pieces in the puzzle that are missing. 'Any solid, rational person will understand that you need to address, and whether it's mathematics or accounting, you've got to balance the equation. 'We, as a [manufacturer], cannot force you or [anyone] to buy an EV, and you can penalise us to death. I still am not going to force you to buy an EV.' Supplied Credit: CarExpert Mitsubishi's current focus is firmly on plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs), though it does have plans to launch an EV co-developed with Foxtron in the second half of 2026. Fringe benefits tax (FBT) exemptions for PHEVs recently came to an end though, a move Mr Westcott has previously labelled a mistake. In the first half of 2025, 25,613 PHEVs were delivered across Australia, a significant increase on the 8223 delivered in the same period last year. EVs, meanwhile, have notched 47,145 deliveries in the first half of 2025, but that number is down on the 50,905 delivered in the first half of 2024. 'We need to understand the reasons that people aren't buying EVs, and that includes, among other things – there's a few things – but one of them is primarily infrastructure. Where do I charge this car?,' Mr Westcott said. Supplied Credit: CarExpert 'And if I'm a tradie and I've got five jobs to do, and the current technology doesn't allow me to tow a trailer that weighs 3.5 tonnes full of tools or cement or tiles for eight hours of the day, so I can get to the five jobs that I need to do without spending an hour or two hours charging my car every two hours, then I'm going to make no money, mate. I'm not going to make a living. 'There's a practicality, there's common sense, maybe, but just some practicality that's missing in what's happened with NVES. The ambition is right, but there's a gap between ambition and reality. 'And I don't see anybody that's talking about how we're going to fix those gaps that exist between ambition and reality. Just penalising us is not going to force people to buy cars. 'We can't force people to buy cars. We are a democratic country, and people have free choice.' MORE: What the first federal emission standard means for Aussie car buyersMORE: PHEV tax break ends in Australia, just as sales boom and EVs falterMORE: Everything Mitsubishi
