Mitsubishi is set to reintroduce the Eclipse Cross name to European roads, but this time, the badge will sit on the back of a French-built electric SUV. The Japanese carmaker has confirmed that it will unveil a fully electric Eclipse Cross in September, with first deliveries planned by the end of 2025.
The new model is a rebadged version of the Renault Scenic E-Tech Electric, built as part of Mitsubishi’s growing reliance on the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance. The vehicle will roll off the production line at Renault’s plant in Douai, northern France, making it eligible for existing French EV subsidies, at least while they last.
Reversed flow
It will be Mitsubishi’s first fully electric model for Europe since the i-MiEV, launched in 2010 when the EV market was still largely theoretical. Back then, Mitsubishi exported know-how to Europe; today, the flow has reversed.
The new Eclipse Cross will share its underpinnings with Renault but wear a Mitsubishi badge and get a few cosmetic tweaks to help distinguish it from its Scenic sibling.
Mitsubishi has promised that its SUV version will feature a unique front-end design, developed by the company’s European design team near Frankfurt. The brand’s ‘Dynamic Shield’ styling language will be carried forward, along with model-specific daytime running lights, new wheel designs, and repositioned badging. It must make for a more distinctive effort than previous rebadged Mitsubishis, such as the Clio-based Colt or Captur-derived ASX.
Two battery sizes
Inside, the Eclipse Cross will be marketed as a practical family car equipped with Google’s built-in infotainment system and advanced driver assistance features. Mitsubishi also highlights its 8-year or 160,000 km warranty as a selling point, which… eclipses Renault’s standard cover.
Two battery sizes will be available. At launch, the car will be sold in a long-range version with an 87 kWh battery. A more affordable mid-range model, featuring a 60 kWh pack, will follow in 2026. Both configurations mirror what’s currently offered on the Scenic E-Tech.
Strategically, the new model is part of Mitsubishi’s effort to regain relevance in Europe after years of dwindling market presence. The firm is leaning heavily on its alliance partner Renault to refresh its product range quickly.
By the end of 2025, Mitsubishi will offer five passenger vehicles across Europe, ranging from combustion and hybrid to fully electric models. Most will share architecture with Renault counterparts.
With a little help from friends
The Eclipse Cross nameplate itself has had a curious journey. It was first used in 2017 on a gasoline-powered compact SUV, borrowing the first part of its name from the beloved Mitsubishi Eclipse coupé of the 1990s. That decision drew mixed reactions from loyalists. A plug-in hybrid version followed in 2021, but the model was quietly phased out earlier this year.
Now reborn as an EV, the new Eclipse Cross underscores how much, and how quickly, the automotive industry has changed. In 2010, Mitsubishi was at the forefront of electric mobility.
In 2025, it’s back in the game, but only by partnering with other car brands. In Asia, the Japanese brand has only announced a partnership with Foxconn last week to build an electric model for China.
