Mitsubishi and Nissan will jointly develop a new pickup truck, it could become the successor to the Frontier

As part of the partnership, the two Japanese companies will develop new plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles intended for the North American market.

The Japanese company Mitsubishi joined the Renault-Nissan alliance in 2016 (when Nissan became the largest shareholder of MMC, Mitsubishi Motors Corporation). Now both manufacturers have decided to team up to develop several new products for the North American automotive market. It is expected that the result of this partnership will include a new pickup truck.

Pictured: the current Nissan Frontier Pro-4X Crew pickup Cab

As Automotive News reports, as part of the cooperation, Nissan and Mitsubishi plan to exchange current electrification technologies. As a result, Mitsubishi will have a new electric car, and Nissan will have a plug-in hybrid. This is expected to allow both manufacturers to overcome a number of challenges associated with the development of electrified powertrains, as well as reduce costs.

One of the main results of this cooperation will be the appearance of a new pickup truck intended for the North American market. It is possible that these will be twins with slight external differences and the same “filling”, sold under both brands. According to preliminary data, the new items will go on sale on the American market between 2027 and 2031.

It is assumed that the new pickup truck in the Nissan line will take the place of the successor to the Frontier (which is the American brother of the Navara). Let us remind you that the current generation truck entered the US market in 2021, and at the beginning of last month it became known that the model had acquired an “off-road” version, which was given the name Forsberg Edition. Now the company is preparing to develop the next pickup truck, in the creation of which a partner will obviously take part.

This project will also allow Mitsubishi to expand its American line with a pickup truck (as the media note, dealers of the brand have been waiting for such a model for a long time). It is assumed that the production of the new truck, jointly developed by Mitsubishi and Nissan, will be established at a plant located in Mexico. According to the publication, initially the new product will have a traditional internal combustion engine, then modifications with hybrid and all-electric technology may appear, although an official decision has not yet been made.

In the photo: the interior of the current Nissan Frontier Pro-4X Crew Cab pickup

It is possible that if the project is given “green light”, the new pickup will share the “filling” with the Outlander PHEV crossover sold in the USA. Its power plant is based on a 2.4-liter engine working in tandem with two electric motors. The total output is 251 hp, and the maximum torque is 450 Nm. The battery capacity is 20 kWh, and the range when driving on electric power alone is 61 km.

In addition, Mitsubishi will probably receive an electric car in its lineup, which, in theory, may turn out to be the closest relative of the Nissan Ariya. This crossover is offered with two batteries to choose from – with a capacity of 63 and 87 kWh; The range is 348 and 489 km, respectively. The SUV's power reaches 394 hp. (599 Nm).