The Mitsubishi Colt is a name that has been around for decades, but it has been absent from the market for a while. The last generation of the Colt was discontinued in 2012, and since then, Mitsubishi has focused more on SUVs and crossovers. But now, the Mitsubishi Colt is back, and it's not what you might expect.
The new Mitsubishi Colt is actually a rebadged version of the Renault Zoe, one of the most popular electric cars in Europe. The Colt shares the same platform, powertrain, battery, and interior as the Renault Zoe, but it has a slightly different exterior design with some Mitsubishi cues. The Colt is essentially a French car.
Why did Mitsubishi do this? Well, the answer is simple: to save money and time. Mitsubishi is part of the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance, a strategic partnership that allows the three automakers to share resources and technologies. By using an existing model from Renault, Mitsubishi can enter the electric car market without having to develop its own product from scratch.
The Mitsubishi Colt is also a way for Mitsubishi to comply with the stricter emissions regulations in Europe, where it sells most of its cars. By offering an electric option, Mitsubishi can lower its fleet average CO2 emissions and avoid paying hefty fines. The Colt is not intended to be a global model but rather a niche product for specific markets.