Portable power: new Mitsubishi eK Cross pairs 1500 W plug with sub-$12K price
Get the Energy newsletter
Daily energy & climate — solar, EVs, oil, the policy fights and tech bets shaping the transition. Free.
- Mitsubishi refreshed the eK Cross EV for the 2027 model year with a mild facelift, swapping in a body-color front fascia, updated interior tech, and a grille delete that visually separates it from the gas version.
- The standout addition is a 100V AC accessory outlet capable of drawing up to 1,500 watts from the car's 20 kWh battery, paired with two USB-C and one USB-A port for smaller electronics.
- Powertrain hardware carries over unchanged: a 20 kWh battery, 47 kW (~63 hp) motor producing 195 Nm (~145 lb-ft) of torque, and 180 km (~115 miles) of WLTC-rated range.
- After Japan's subsidies, the top-shelf eK Cross EV rings in at ¥1,872,400 — roughly $11,700, down from an approximate $20,000 equivalent sticker.
- Mitsubishi is pitching the car as a "lifestyle" vehicle for young urban commuters, with press materials emphasizing picnics, outdoor movie nights, and camping trips over emergency use.
- The V2X capability is part of a broader Japanese Domestic Market trend: Nissan has been baking disaster-response outlets into the LEAF for the better part of a decade, useful in a country prone to typhoons and earthquakes.
Why it matters: At ~$11,700 after subsidies, Mitsubishi is packaging 1,500 watts of portable power — enough for air pumps or projectors — into one of the cheapest EVs on sale, reframing a tiny kei car as a lifestyle accessory rather than just transportation. Japan's recurring natural disasters make the same outlet a quiet emergency backup for owners who need it.
![Meet Honda’s $21,000 electric hot hatch [Images]](https://electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2026/05/Honda-electric-hot-hatch-21000-1.jpeg?quality=82&strip=all&w=1400)