Following consumer backlash and a media fire storm, Mitsubishi is scrambling to explain comments made by a senior executive who stated the Evolution X would be the last Evo.
In an e-mail sent to Inside Line, the company said production of the current model would continue until it is phased out in 2012/2013. They added, "MMC [Mitsubishi Motor Corporation] has kept the Lancer Evolution sedan evolving as the brand's highest-performing model in the global market. However, as the market's needs and demands change, MMC is considering not advancing the Lancer Evolution concept in the same way as before, but to find a different direction for the Lancer Evolution model to evolve."
This seems to imply the next-generation Evo, if it retains that name, will be a hybrid or a plug-in hybrid. Details are limited, but Mitsubishi has already showcased a Lancer Evolution MIEV in 2005. While it will likely have little in common with the 2013/2014 model, the Evo MIEV had a lithium-ion battery and four electric motors that produced a combined maximum output of 200 kW (268 hp / 272 PS) and 2,072 Nm (1,528 lb-ft) of torque. This enabled the prototype to hit a top speed of 180 km/h (112 mph) and travel up to 250 km (155 miles) on a single charge.