Mitsubishi defends ASX VR-e's 403km range as adequate for Australian use ahead of December launch

Confirmed range figures put VR-e behind most rivals

Mitsubishi has confirmed the maximum driving range for its incoming ASX VR-e electric small SUV, with the range-opening LS rated at 403km on the WLTP cycle, CarExpert reports. The LS is one of three rear-wheel-drive variants, with the Aspire claiming 398km and the Exceed 380km. The flagship dual-motor all-wheel-drive GSR claims 328km, and every variant uses the same 57.7kWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery. Australian pricing has not yet been announced, with full specifications and prices due in the coming weeks ahead of a December 2026 showroom arrival. ¹

CarExpert's comparison shows most of the VR-e's closest competitors claim more range. The Kia EV3 Air Standard Range, in front-wheel drive form, pairs a 58.3kWh battery with 436km of WLTP range, while the all-wheel-drive EV3 GT-Line Long Range manages 559km from an 81.4kWh pack, albeit with 195kW against the GSR's 342kW. CarExpert also notes the rear-drive BYD Atto 3 Evo offers 510km from a 74.9kWh battery, the all-wheel-drive Zeekr X claims 415km from 64kWh with the segment's highest output at 360kW, and the MG 4 EV XPower produces 300kW with 405km of range from a larger 64.0kWh unit. ¹

Mitsubishi Australia ASX VR-e product strategy manager Tim Clarke told media that vehicles in the same segment with similar battery capacity achieve similar claimed WLTP ranges, so the VR-e is neither behind nor ahead for its battery size. CarExpert's own analysis, however, is that the VR-e's small electric SUV competitors almost entirely offer greater driving range. ¹

"Acceptable" range framed around urban use

Mr Clarke told media, as reported by CarExpert, that the range is acceptable or suitable for Australian consumers when urban commuting is considered, and that the company's research shows range becomes less of a concern once people move into battery electric vehicles. He explained that range is primarily a concern for buyers without electric vehicle experience, because owners adapt to topping up at home, where 90 per cent of charging happens for these types of vehicles, with range mainly mattering on long interstate journeys. He added that the VR-e is entirely adequate as an urban car for Australian use cases. ¹

Mr Clarke also underlined the need to educate first-time electric vehicle buyers, particularly previous Mitsubishi customers given the brand has not sold an electric vehicle locally in nearly 15 years. He said salespeople need to manage conversations about a customer's use case and where their charging will happen, comparing the VR-e against products that might offer larger range, according to CarExpert. He told media the brand expects the VR-e to appeal to small families as a second car and to the retiree segment. ¹

When asked whether Foxtron could supply a larger battery than the VR-e's standard 57.7kWh unit, Mr Clarke said that was not currently an option, CarExpert reports. ¹

What the VR-e is, and what buyers get

The ASX VR-e is not an in-house Mitsubishi. CarExpert describes it as a rebadged version of the Foxtron Bria, an electric vehicle built by the joint venture between iPhone maker Foxconn and Taiwanese automaker Yulon. Chasing Cars notes it was initially intended solely for Australia and New Zealand and therefore engineered for right-hand drive, with local variants offered as the rear-drive LS, Aspire and Exceed and the dual-motor GSR flagship. Its styling was developed with Pininfarina in Italy, close to the Bria donor in overall shape, with unique Mitsubishi badging and alloy wheel designs. ¹³

According to Chasing Cars, which examined VR-e Aspire and GSR examples ahead of launch, the rear-drive variants produce 171kW and 350Nm with claimed 0-100km/h acceleration of 6.8 seconds, while the GSR delivers 342kW and 700Nm with a claimed 3.9-second sprint and a 30/70 front-to-rear drive split in Sport mode. The LS supports 134kW DC charging, taking the battery from 10 to 80 per cent in a claimed 30 minutes. Chasing Cars also lists a 15.6-inch touchscreen with physical buttons beneath it, a 9.2-inch driver display, five regeneration modes including a one-pedal setting, a 2800mm wheelbase, a 320-litre boot and a 52-litre front cavity, and cloth seats specified locally for the base LS. ³

Chasing Cars cautions its observations come from static pre-production examples rather than a drive, noting that local changes to dampers, rear bump-stops, potentially springs, and electric power steering and active-safety calibration, developed at Lang Lang, will not be fully assessable until closer to launch. The publication found the interior plastics utilitarian, with vinyl upholstery on the preview Aspire and GSR, but judged the packaging genuinely good and roomy. CarExpert separately reports that Mr Clarke described the VR-e as probably the most tech-heavy vehicle in Mitsubishi's local line-up, and said the brand cannot appeal with this product to buyers who do not want the technology but can offer alternatives from its portfolio. ³²

Pricing picture and the value argument

Australian pricing remains unconfirmed. CarExpert notes the VR-e's rival set is priced above 47,000 dollars before on-road costs except the BYD Atto 3 Evo at 46,990 plus on-road costs, with cheaper entry points including the MG 4 EV from 39,990 drive-away and the Atto 3 Evo FWD from 41,990 before on-road costs. In New Zealand, CarExpert reports Mitsubishi has announced the VR-e will start at NZ$57,990 before on-road costs, above the entry Kia EV3 and BYD Atto 3 in that market. Chasing Cars converts the New Zealand schedule to roughly 46,970 Australian dollars for the LS, about 51,830 for the Aspire, 55,070 for the Exceed and 59,120 for the GSR, flagging that local pricing may differ. ¹³

GoAuto reports that Mr Clarke, speaking to the publication ahead of the local introduction, argued value goes beyond purchase price and specification, taking in how the vehicle feels on the road, how it looks and the overall ownership experience across the dealer network and warranty. He said that with so many new market entrants about which little is known, Mitsubishi's established dealer and service network and its conditional 10-year warranty program would appeal to a substantial proportion of buyers. GoAuto also notes Mr Clarke said local development focused on steering, ride comfort and handling to create what he called recognisable Mitsubishi character, and that the familiar ASX nameplate was retained for its equity in the small SUV segment even though a separate Renault-derived petrol ASX already wears it in Australia. ⁴

A careful first step for the Foxtron partnership

The VR-e marks Mitsubishi's return to the Australian electric vehicle market. Chasing Cars recounts that the brand sold about 250 examples of the i-MiEV micro electric car between 2010 and 2013, beating the Nissan Leaf to market locally, and that the VR-e's branding nods to the VR-4 variant of the Galant despite sharing nothing with the original Japanese-built ASX or its Renault Captur-based successor. ³

Mitsubishi Australia is holding back on further Foxtron projects until the VR-e proves itself. CarExpert reports chief executive Shunichi Kihara told media at the model's first local preview that the project scope is basically the VR-e under the current agreement, and that further discussion depends on how much success the model delivers. Mr Clarke added that Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in Japan is watching closely to see how the product is received, and that if it is a success, the doors will open for further conversations with Foxtron, which CarExpert notes has since revealed other vehicles such as the larger Cavira SUV. ⁵