Mitsubishi Motors Australia has detailed the ASX VR-e, a new battery-electric small SUV due in local showrooms in late 2026.

The Taiwanese-built model comes from Foxtron, the electric vehicle division of Foxconn, with exterior styling by Pininfarina and a four-grade Australian line-up spanning rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive.

Foxconn are a tech giant known for assembling consumer electronics like iPhones and iPads, while Pininfarina is a legendary Italian car design firm, most famous for designing cars for luxury sports brands like Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, and Maserati.

The ASX VR-e marks Mitsubishi’s return to the battery-electric vehicle segment in Australia, following the i-MiEV more than 15 years ago.

It will enter an increasingly active EV market, with CarSauce recently covering Australian EV sales momentum as electric models continue to make up a larger share of new-car demand.

The local range will include LS, ASPIRE and EXCEED rear-wheel-drive grades, topped by the all-wheel-drive GSR.

All variants use a 57.7kWh lithium iron phosphate battery.

Rear-wheel-drive versions use a single electric motor producing 171kW and 350Nm, with a claimed 0-100km/h time of 6.8 seconds.

The GSR adds a second motor on the front axle, lifting outputs to 342kW and 700Nm and cutting the 0-100km/h claim to 3.9 seconds.

Mitsubishi says that makes the ASX VR-e GSR the fastest-accelerating Mitsubishi ever officially sold in Australia.

Drive modes include Eco, Comfort and Sport, while the GSR also changes its torque delivery in Sport mode from a 50:50 front-rear split to 30:70, except under wide-open throttle.

Steering effort can be set to Light, Standard or Heavy.

All grades support CCS2 DC charging at up to 134kW and Type 2 AC charging at up to 6.6kW.

Vehicle-to-load capability is also included via the external Type 2 AC charging port.

MMAL Chief Executive Officer Shunichi Kihara said the ASX VR-e forms part of the company’s plan to offer a broader mix of drivetrains in Australia.

"The ASX VR-e is part of our commitment to deliver customers a range of powertrains to meet ever-growing mobility requirements across Australia," said Kihara.

"It is a return to the BEV segment for Mitsubishi Motors, who pioneered with the i-MiEV over 15 years ago, and is thoroughly modern."

Key specifications

The ASX VR-e measures 4315mm long, 1885mm wide and 1535mm tall, with a 2800mm wheelbase.

Its Pininfarina design includes an S-Duct in the front end, air curtains, active grille shutters, flush-fitting door handles and aero-focused alloy wheels.

Inside, every grade gets a 15.6-inch central infotainment touchscreen and a 9.2-inch digital driver display.

Wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are standard, along with a mix of screen-based functions and physical controls for key climate and demister functions.

A configurable favourites switch is also included.

The ASX VR-e features a natural-language climate-control system that can respond to commands such as "I am hot" and adjust the temperature.

Mitsubishi also lists over-the-air updates and Connected Car Services from launch.

The LS opens the range with 18-inch alloy wheels, five-stage regenerative braking including a full single-pedal mode, manual flush door handles, black and grey cloth trim, dual-zone climate control, six-speaker audio, LED lighting and rear parking assistance.

ASPIRE adds automatic flush door handles, artificial leather seat trim, power-adjustable heated and cooled front seats, driver memory, 64-colour ambient lighting, a frunk with electric bonnet release, front and rear parking sensors, a surround-view monitor and autonomous parking.

EXCEED adds 20-inch two-tone alloy wheels, a panoramic glass roof, hands-free electric tailgate and 12-speaker SEAS sound system.

GSR adds the dual-motor all-wheel-drive system, artificial leather and microsuede seat trim with blue stitching, and two-tone exterior paint availability.

The active safety list includes adaptive cruise control with lane following control, traffic sign recognition, automated emergency braking, driver monitoring, forward collision warning, blind-spot detection, lane departure warning, rear cross-traffic alert, traffic jam assist and tyre pressure monitoring with tyre temperature readout.

Adaptive driving beams are standard on ASPIRE and above.

Seven single-tone exterior colours will be offered: Stealth Black, Solstice Red, Pacific Blue, Magnetic Grey, Polar White and Sage Green.

GSR adds two-tone options with a black roof in Stealth Black, Solstice Red, Pacific Blue, Polar White and Sage Green.

The ASX VR-e drive battery is covered for eight years or 160,000km for material and factory workmanship defects.

Mitsubishi’s Drive Battery Capacity Care Program protects the battery to at least 70 per cent usable energy capacity over that period.

The broader Diamond Advantage program includes a 10-year or 200,000km new vehicle warranty when scheduled servicing is completed on time at a Mitsubishi dealership.

If those servicing conditions are not met, the new vehicle warranty is five years or 100,000km.

Capped price servicing runs for up to 10 years or 150,000km across the first 10 scheduled services, while roadside assistance can extend for up to 10 annual periods with eligible capped price servicing.

Some Government, rental and National Business customers are excluded from the program.

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