• by Tanya Gazdik , October 11, 2022

Mitsubishi Motors North America is using YouTube to unveil its Outlander PHEV on Wednesday evening. 

It’s the first time the Franklin, Tennessee-based automaker has used the video channel, where it has 32,000 subscribers, for a reveal. 

“The Outlander PHEV means so much to our brand, to our business,” Kimberly Ito, MMNA director of marketing tells Marketing Daily. “It truly represents our future.”

This is “more than just a launch, this is a milestone for us," she says. "This is the next generation of Mitsubishi Motors and the beginning of our EV transformation.” 

In its Environmental Targets 2030 target sheet, MMNA's parent company Mitsubishi Motors Corporation has set a goal of a 40% reduction in the CO2 emissions of its new cars by 2030 through leveraging EVs — with PHEVs as the centerpiece — to help create a sustainable society.

Last year, the company used Amazon Live to launch the gas-powered version of the vehicle. That debut was the first-ever car reveal on the platform. It surpassed viewership Key Performance Indicators by 110% within hours of the reveal, according to the company.

“We've seen a new type of buyer attracted to the brand,” Ito says. “We know that the Outlander PHEV buyer or shopper is well researched and seeking out any information possible. They’re naturally curious.”

YouTube has 247 million users and is the largest online video viewing platform in the world, she says.

“So why not fish where the fish are?” she says.  “We want to draw customers to a place that they're already comfortable. Customers will be able to find out more information on YouTube, do their research. It just makes sense for us to be there and teach people about the uniqueness of our vehicle.”

The automaker launched teaser ads on Sept. 28 pointing viewers to the YouTube page, which features a countdown clock.

The Outlander PHEV target buyer is on the fence about EV technology, she says. 

“The Outlander is the perfect vehicle for that fence sitter who wants to do the right thing for the environment, but doesn't want to compromise convenience or range," Ito says. "That's who we're going after with this debut.”

The vehicle, which has an all-electric EPA range of 38 miles, is arriving in select markets in November. Eventually all 330 of the automaker’s dealer partners will have at least one on their lot for test drives, she says. 

The vehicle has an MSRP starting at $39,845 plus destination charges. Because the vehicle is manufactured in Japan, it will not be eligible for the updated federal tax credit.