TOTAL ECLIPSE: Mitsubishi revives nameplate as new electric crossover

Mitsubishi Motors will bring back the Eclipse name in North America through a new electric vehicle called the Eclipse Sportback, with sales expected to begin in late summer or early fall 2026.

The 2027 Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback will make its global debut as a fully electric subcompact SUV.

Mitsubishi Motors North America released the first images of the vehicle on 9 June 2026, marking another step in the brand’s plan to rebuild its lineup and add more electrified models in the United States.

The new model will be sourced from Nissan Motor Co., Mitsubishi’s partner in the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance.

It will be based on the next-generation Nissan LEAF, although Mitsubishi said the Eclipse Sportback will receive design changes to give it its own identity.

Those changes include unique front and rear fascias, separate lighting signatures, sporty alloy wheels and Mitsubishi’s Triple Diamond badge.

The model will also carry styling cues linked to other vehicles in Mitsubishi’s global lineup.

The Eclipse name carries history for Mitsubishi, especially in North America. The original Mitsubishi Eclipse arrived there in 1990 and became one of the brand’s better-known nameplates.

The badge later returned through the Eclipse Cross, a compact crossover. The Eclipse Sportback now gives the name a new role in Mitsubishi’s electric vehicle plans.

Mitsubishi has not yet released technical details for the Eclipse Sportback. Battery size, range, charging time, motor output and pricing will be announced later.

The company also has not given an exact launch date beyond its target window in the second half of 2026.

The new EV adds to Mitsubishi’s long-running work with electrified vehicles. The company started developing electric vehicles in Japan in the 1970s.

The i-MiEV went on sale in select markets in 2009 and later reached the United States and Canada in late 2011. Mitsubishi also introduced the Outlander Plug-in Hybrid EV globally in 2012, before bringing it to North America in 2018.

The Eclipse Sportback also fits into Mitsubishi Motors North America’s Momentum 2030 business plan.

The program covers four main areas, including electrification, a wider product lineup, changes to retail sales and stronger dealer relations.

Under that plan, Mitsubishi intends to introduce at least one new or significantly revised vehicle every year through fiscal year 2030.

The Eclipse Sportback will be followed in early 2027 by a rugged off-road version of the Outlander SUV.

Mitsubishi Motors North America currently works with about 300 dealer partners in the United States.

The company said its US lineup is expected to nearly double from four vehicles as it adds models powered by gasoline engines, hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electric systems.

The Eclipse Sportback gives Mitsubishi a fresh entry in a growing EV market while leaning on a name that already has recall among longtime buyers.

The use of Nissan’s new LEAF platform also gives the brand a faster path into the electric subcompact SUV space.

More details on the 2027 Mitsubishi Eclipse Sportback are expected closer to launch.